Many children with severe disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum, perseverate. Perseverating means they do certain actions over and over again, like repeating a phrase, shutting a door, twiddling fingers, lining up toys, rubbing hands together, spinning objects, etc. It is almost as if these children are locked into an endless cycle of meaningless, odd behaviors. Why do children perseverate? There are a couple of reasons. First, they might find life to be so chaotic and confusing that they crave some sort of control. The repeated door slamming, for example, gives the child a sense of predictability, order, and … Continue reading →