| Many wonder why anyone would practice self-injury, | | | | and pain. Furthermore, it is believed that if one |
| as it is painful and dangerous. However, with autistic | | | | practices self-injury enough, the endorphins will begin to |
| children, self-injury occurs more often than not. There | | | | help mask any pain associated with such behavior, |
| are several theories as to why this practice can be | | | | making it an addictive action. |
| prevalent in autistic children, and there are some | | | | While some professionals say that ignoring the autistic |
| methods you can use to help ease this distressing | | | | child's self-injurious behavior is an acceptable method |
| practice. | | | | of treating such practice, this can obviously be very |
| Because autistic children are unable to communicate | | | | difficult. Others have suggested that communication |
| through language the way that others can, they often | | | | therapy and drugs may help an autistic child by |
| feel frustrated at not being understood or at not | | | | providing him or her with another method of |
| getting what they need or want. Thus, autistic children | | | | communication. There are drugs that will help stem the |
| may commit self-injury, by banging their heads or biting | | | | addictive behavior of releasing endorphins into the |
| themselves (among other tactics), to release some of | | | | system, and thus help stop such behavior. There are |
| that frustration that cannot be communicated through | | | | also nutritional solutions available; vitamin B6 and |
| words. Also, self-injury is a way of getting attention. An | | | | calcium have been said to help many families with an |
| autistic child's frustration goes hand-in-hand with | | | | autistic child. |
| wanting attention. For instance, by scratching oneself | | | | For the family members involved, communication |
| until one bleeds, the autistic child will immediately get | | | | training to learn how to communicate with an autistic |
| someone's attention, and this person will work to | | | | child is also extremely important. Because normal |
| understand what the child wants or needs. | | | | adults, and even children and teenagers, are so |
| This theory of frustration and attention has been the | | | | accustomed to communicating through easily |
| sole thinking for quite some time. Recently, however, | | | | recognizable words or body language, they have to |
| studies have shown that self-injury can have a | | | | learn that communicating with an autistic child requires |
| biochemical component that relieves some of the pain | | | | a completely different process. By looking for solutions |
| and frustration one feels by releasing endorphins, or | | | | for both the family and the autistic child involved in |
| happy hormones,into one's system. The endorphins | | | | self-injurious behavior, one may be able to overcome |
| also provide a release for the autistic child, allowing him | | | | this distressing practice. |
| or her to temporarily forget about his or her frustration | | | | |