Shouldnt laugh! Poor lad ;) Communication difficulties: for individuals who may not be able to communicate their wants, needs, and emotional states effectively, biting can be an extremely effective way of letting others know that something is not right, and is therefore a very useful and powerful form of communication. Learned behaviour: we all learn from experiences that we have had and we use this information to determine how to behave in the future. If we find that behaving in a particular way brings about a good outcome for us (by either reducing or stopping an undesirable experience or increasing a desirable one) then we are more likely to behave that way again in the future. Some individuals might also appreciate the physical or emotional reaction of others in response to biting. The individual may enjoy the sound of a raised voice or the sense of control created by behaving in a way which brings a predictable reaction from others (Clements and Zarkowska, 2000). Frustration or distress: sometimes biting can be an expression of sheer frustration or distress in response to a range of different stressors and challenging situations. It is important to remember that life can be exceptionally overwhelming at times for individuals with an ASD and that sometimes, the person may engage in a behaviour (such as biting) that is a response to this. An attempt to gain sensory input: many people with an ASD experience sensory difficulties, so it can be helpful to consider the possible sensory functions of particular behaviours. Chewing and biting are proprioceptive activities. That is, they provide sensory input to the proprioceptive system, which regulates what different parts of the body are doing at different times. Biting can also provide oral stimulation and may provide pleasant or even necessary stimulation to this sensory system. Toothache or jaw pain (as with teething children): in some cases, biting may be a response to physical pain, in particular tooth or jaw ache. Developmental stages: the mouthing of objects is a normal part of development. Babies put various objects in their mouths to explore the size, shape, and texture of the objects. This normally becomes a problem if the child continues to mouth objects frequently past the age of 18 months or so. However, a child who missed the initial mouthing phase due to sensitivity in the mouth area or medical issues may have to go through this phase later.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 18:41:21 +0000
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