Across therapy teams, stimming and AAC is a common topic. It can seem like your AAC user is “not using the device functionally,” which leaves teams feeling discouraged and unsure where to go next with communication.

However, stimming is meaningful communication! All that’s needed is a change in perspective for the team and a willingness to ask the right questions!

What Is Stimming?🔗

Stimming is a shorthand for self-stimulatory behavior and can include any repetitive movement, sound, or action used as a coping mechanism. People stim to manage strong emotions, self-soothe, or to process sensory experiences.

Stimming is often associated with individuals with autism or other neurodivergent individuals; however, most people stim in some way, whether they notice it or not. Have you ever repetitively twirled your hair or even mindlessly scrolled on your phone? These actions are stimming and they serve a purpose such as helping you focus or relax.

With AAC, we can sometimes see our AAC users repeatedly tap buttons, type a long sequence of words to listen to, or even tap the same sequence of buttons repetitively. At first glance, this can seem random, but we need to dive deeper or we risk ignoring meaningful communication!

Where Do We Start?🔗

With stimming, there could be a few scenarios at play, so let’s take a look at the questions we should be asking!

Is it stimming or normal language development? 🔗

Those repeated taps on the device may not be stimming at all; it may be the AAC user babbling and exploring language! We want to encourage this first step in language development by responding to these productions and applying meaning.

What purpose is this serving for your AAC user? 🔗

Behavior is communication, and we do not want to miss important information that our AAC user may be giving us! What looks like random, repetitive selection to us may be a very purposeful message from the AAC user.

Could repeated tapping of “trampoline” be the AAC user remembering a fun activity from the weekend? Is the sound or the feeling of tapping buttons fulfilling a sensory need? We need to get curious and let AAC users know we are listening.

How can I support the need behind this behavior? 🔗

Once we recognize these repeated taps as communication, it can get much easier to plan how to respond and support!

• Encourage communication: We can start by treating all selections as functional communication and responding! A quick comment like “I hear you talking about trampolines” can go a long way.
• Allow exploration: We can respect that our AAC user is learning language through this and provide them time to explore the vocabulary on the device.
• Support regulation: If your AAC user seems to be enjoying the sensory aspect of it (tapping sensation or sound), you can try to offer other avenues to get this input.

Other Considerations🔗

While we want to respect our AAC user’s exploration of the device, there may be times when it is not appropriate. Just as we would not stop a speaking individual from using their voice, we should not stop our AAC users from using theirs, so we do not want to take the device away! Instead, try out these strategies.

• Use visuals or a schedule to teach when it is time to talk or time for a quiet voice
• Teach how to adjust the volume on the device in different settings
• Collaborate with an OT to provide strategies to meet sensory needs and support regulation

Conclusion + Support🔗

In AAC intervention, repetitive taps and behaviors are not something to shut down; they are opportunities to better understand our AAC users. When we shift our perspective from “nonfunctional use” to curiosity and connection, we create space for language development, sensory regulation, and meaningful self-expression. If you have questions about implementing AAC with your communicator, our SLP Empowerment team is here to help every step of the way.