Do aspergers do a rocking motion?

Answer 1

One possible answer is that repetitive action is comforting. This can get quite complicated, but remains true.

When I was little, I would start an afternoon by picking a number - it could be any number, even the same one I had picked the day before - and then spend the rest of the afternoon computing its powers. Before I learned to multiply, I was quite capable of staring at a table of addition for quite some time - the patterns were fascinating.

A relative of mine went on a cruise of the Aegean Sea, with days spent in many different ports of call. He liked the sea, even though it was a bit monotonous. His preference for the ports of call was not to go ashore with his wife, but to read one of the several hundred patent documents he brought with him. He liked reading patent documents, even if they were a bit monotonous.

If the rocking is bothersome, you might try giving the person something else to do that could also be found comforting. A piece of really soft cloth might be nice, to rub their hands on. A stack of drawings to trace might also do, though it requires attention you might want them to apply to a school subject.

These are just my thoughts, of course. I would be interested in what others say about it.

A:

The student could be suffering stress and be rocking back and forth because he or she finds it relaxing, as the first respondent said.

Another possibility is that the action helps the person focus. Doing something physical, such as tapping fingers or rocking, can help some people with Asperger's Syndrome focus mentally.

Answer 2

Aspies often find comfort in rocking their bodies, bouncing, moving their hands rhythmically, or tapping their feet. This physical involvement may help them to refocus away from situations they find distressful or overstimulating.

Many aspies enjoy hand crafts like origami or knitting (etc.) for these same reasons, and they may develop a high degree of dexterity and finesse in these skills.

Other ways aspies may calm distressing feelings might include the use of a weighted blanket, or sitting on a balancing ball.