Stimming has had a bit of a bad press over the years. It's often described as something to "manage" or "reduce". But for many people, stimming is simply how they stay calm, feel good and get through the day. This guide looks at oral stims in particular: chewing, sucking and mouthing.
What is stimming?
The National Autistic Society (NAS) explains that stimming is short for "self-stimulating behaviour", and that it can also be described as "self-regulating" behaviour. It covers repeated movements or behaviours, from hand flapping and rocking to listening to the same song on repeat.
Importantly, the NAS points out that many people stim, autistic and non-autistic. Playing with a pen, twirling your hair, tapping and whistling are all forms of stimming. Autistic people may stim more, and it may matter more to their wellbeing.
What are oral stims?
The NAS lists "sniffing, licking or chewing objects" among its examples of stimming. In everyday life, oral stims might look like:
- chewing pens, pencils or straws
- chewing sleeves, collars or hoodie strings
- sucking thumbs or fingers
- nibbling nails or the skin around them
- mouthing or licking objects
- chewing the inside of the cheek
Some are easy to spot. Others are quiet and almost invisible.
Why do people stim?
Autistic people have told the NAS that stimming has a range of purposes, including:
- sensory input and enjoyment: doing something that feels good
- staying calm: self-regulating or self-soothing
- expressing emotions: joy, excitement or distress
Every person is different, so the same stim can mean different things for different people.
Why stopping harmless stims isn't the goal
This is one of the most important messages in the NAS guidance. In the past, people tried to stop autistic people stimming so they would seem "less autistic". Autistic people have described this as a form of enforced masking that can lead to anxiety and distressed behaviour.
In the NAS's words: "If stimming is harmless, there is no reason to prevent an autistic person from doing it."
So if someone is happily chewing a chew made for the job, that's a good thing.
When a stim causes harm
Some stims can hurt, for example picking skin or nails until they bleed. Oral stims can cause problems too: sore fingers, chewed-up clothes, or chewing things that could break or splinter.
The NAS suggests that support should aim to address the cause of any distress, and that it may be possible to replace harmful stims with safe stims that serve the same purpose. It also advises seeking professional support if a stim becomes dangerous.
That's where a purpose-made chew can help. It's not about stopping the stim. It's about giving it a safer place to go.
Chews that are fidgets too
Many oral stimmers also love to fidget with their hands, and plenty of Chewigems were designed with both in mind:
- The Realm Ring is lovely to stroke and squish, as well as to chew.
- The Bonnie Bangle is famous in our community for its "flipability". Flip it round on itself and it snaps back into place.
- The Cat pendant has a smooth velvety front and sensory nubs on the back, for touch and chewing.
- The Pocket Sized Hand Fidget & Sensory Chew has dual textures and fits in your palm.
- The Chewipal was designed as a chewable strap. Our community also discovered it makes a great flapping stim when you hold one end and rotate your fist.
- The Pirate Bubba Bag is packed with stimmable pieces for anyone who doesn't want to wear anything.
Explore our fidgets collection for more.
Supporting someone who stims
If you're a parent, partner, friend or colleague, a few gentle ideas:
- Don't draw attention to harmless stims. A calm, accepting response goes a long way.
- Notice what the stim is doing. Is it joy, focus or calming down? That can tell you a lot.
- Offer, don't force. If a stim is causing harm, offer a safe alternative and let the person try it in their own time.
- Ask. If the person can tell you what helps, that's the best guide of all.
A note for adults
Plenty of adults only realise later in life that the things they've always done, like chewing, fidgeting or rocking, are stims. If that's you, you're not alone, and there's nothing to be embarrassed about. The NAS includes some wonderful first-person insights from autistic people on its stimming page, and it's well worth a read.
Most of all, remember that the person stimming is the expert on what feels right for them.
Find your stim companion
Whether you chew, fidget, or both, browse our full range or take the four-question quiz on the Chewigem homepage.
Stimming is part of how many of us get through the day. Let's make it safe, comfortable, and completely OK.
Sources
- National Autistic Society, "Repeated movements and behaviour (stimming)": autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/about-autism/repeated-movements-and-behaviour-stimming
- Product details: chewigem.com product pages (linked above)