"It's all about association, and kids often sniff things that conjure up pleasant memories that they find comforting." These soothing smells can simply help a child feel more safe and secure—or relaxed enough to facilitate sleep.
Sniffing around: People with autism engage almost half their brain (right) when they smell the air, suggesting they search for odors even when none exist. People with autism use different brain regions than typical people do to distinguish between the scents of familiar and unfamiliar individuals.
Though your baby can't yet recognize you by sight, they'll know you by your natural scent, and that's what they'll most want to smell. They'll also be drawn to the scent of your breast milk. These smells are connected to their basic needs for comfort and food.
Kiddos often regress to a younger age's communication pattern and seek physical touch to gain comfort through contact with primary caregivers. It is based on them seeking a secure attachment and wanting to reconnect. Clearly, those benefits don't end in infancy.
Our sense of smell can help us identify danger in our life, such as smoke, escaped gas or food that is off. Individuals on the autism spectrum may not be able to identify things based on smell, or they may have a lack of smell or be unable to identify strong smells.
"It's all about association, and kids often sniff things that conjure up pleasant memories that they find comforting." These soothing smells can simply help a child feel more safe and secure—or relaxed enough to facilitate sleep.
Children may use smelling as a way of exploring their environment or as a way of becoming oriented and comfortable with a particular object. They are also considered stimming behaviours that may provide necessary internal stimulation to children with ASD.
Some kids are driven by their sensation-craving “sensory profile,” as it's called, and they're not able to curb their impulse for the sake of propriety. “Children can love tickles and snuggles and hugs and they just love the sense of pressure up against objects or other people,” Radesky says.
Curiosity about genitalia is a perfectly normal part of early sexual development. When little kids touch their own genitals or show an interest in looking at other people's private parts, they are most likely doing what young children are born to do: learning about themselves and the world around them.
Securely-attached children explore the room freely when their mothers are present, and they act friendly towards the stranger. After their mothers leave the room, they may become distressed and inhibited – exploring less, and avoiding the stranger.
As your baby grows, they want more milk and they want it to come out faster. Because twiddling stimulates your nipples, it can help make that happen. Additionally, twiddling may offer your little one comfort. Physical touch is extremely comforting to people of all ages, but young children especially benefit from it.
Though your baby can't yet recognize you by sight, they'll know you by your natural scent, and that's what they'll most want to smell. They'll also be drawn to the scent of your breast milk. These smells are connected to their basic needs for comfort and food.
"Babies know their mother's scent just from the smell of her skin. If you choose not to breastfeed, you don't have to worry, your baby will still love the smell of you." This ability to recognize you — and your scent — can play a big role in their social development, Levenson continues.
The seven senses
Alongside the commonly recognised “5 senses” (taste, touch, hearing, sight and smell) a person on the autism spectrum may also over-react or under-react to two additional senses: the vestibular and proprioceptive senses. These senses impact balance, motor skills and body awareness.
Your son is an adolescent; an age marked with pubertal growth, hormonal upsurge and curiosity. It is a stage of transition from asexuality to sexuality. Touching and exploring one's private parts is also a part of normal development. It is important to discuss about the natural growing up process with your son.
They're learning about how people show love to other people.” Toddlers see their mom and dad or other adults expressing their feelings by kissing and touching each other, sometimes in suggestive ways, Rinaldi adds, and it's not surprising that they'd imitate this.
Physical touch might be your son's primary way of expressing affection. It could also be that he craves closeness to you at times where he feels anxious, insecure, or some other way that would have him seeking comfort.
Self Discovery and Genital Touching
Touching, scratching, or tugging in the genital area is just a normal activity for boys, especially between ages 2 and 6. 2 They might rearrange their genitals for comfort, scratch an itch, or spend more time diaper-free if they are learning to use the toilet.
Signs of anxiety in autistic children and teenagers
When autistic children get worried or anxious, the way they show their anxiety can look a lot like common characteristics of autism – stimming, obsessive and ritualistic behaviour and resistance to changes in routine.
Sensory issues are considered a symptom of autism because many people on the autism spectrum experience them. But not everyone with sensory issues is on the spectrum. Some have ADHD, OCD or developmental delays. Or they may not have a diagnosis at all.
The behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often appear early in development. Many children show symptoms of autism by 12 months to 18 months of age or earlier.
Autism spectrum disorder includes conditions that were previously considered separate — autism, Asperger's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and an unspecified form of pervasive developmental disorder.