How to Make Your Own Stimming Necklaces

Stimming is a sensory oriented, repetitious behavior that is often associated with autistic children. Rocking, hand flapping, head banging, and nail chewing are all examples of stimming, and although some of the behaviors may appear to be everyday habits that are often exhibited by children who do not have an autism diagnosis, autistic stimming is usually more intense. AutisticSociety.org explains that most stimming results from overwhelming stimuli and emotion. Oral stimming, such as chewing on the sleeves of clothing or on the hands, can be replaced with a homemade stimming necklace that can prove to be just as comforting.

Things You'll Need

• 3 feet of therapy tubing 48-inch 100% cotton shoelace Plastic needlepoint needle Scissors

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Cut the therapy tubing into one-inch lengths using the scissors. Therapy tubing is often used for physical rehabilitation therapy purposes and can be found online and in your local medical supply store. A more sensorily stimulating necklace can be created by purchasing different colors of tubing that can be cut and threaded like beads onto the necklace.

• 2

  Thread the cotton shoelace through the eye of the plastic needlepoint needle. Trying to thread the therapy tube beads onto the shoelace without the needlepoint needle can become tedious, if not impossible, due to its thickness. But what the shoelace lacks in ease of threading, it makes up for in strength.

• 3

  String the therapy tube beads onto the shoelace by slipping the plastic needle through the beads on one end, and pulling it through the other end. Alternate the bead colors if desired, and be sure to add enough beads to make the necklace long enough to be tied and slipped over the child's head without restrictions.

• 4

  Tie the ends of the shoe laces together by making a knot and leaving a two-inch length of shoelace hanging after the knot. Slip on another bead to conceal the knot, squish it down a bit, and tie a second knot above it. The bead will conceal both knots. Place the stimming necklace on the child.

• 5

  Cue the child to stim on the therapy tube necklace each time she attempts to chew on her hands or shirt sleeve. The transition from the old stimming habit to the new may take some time but, once she is comfortable with the feel of the stimming necklace, it will hopefully be preferred.