Blinking and Squinting?

Is this a common stim that comes and goes for children on the spectrum? My 2 year old pddnos started doing this sometimes every day on and off. He never does it when looking at people or during crafts or eating sometimes he will do it while watching tv, lying on the floor looking at my lighted ceiling fan and sometimes while I read a book. I would say more squinting then blinking. I would say it might be done 25 percent of the time a day. Could this be a sign of glasses I personally think this might be one of his newest Stims. WDYT?

Message edited 9/6/2012 6:12:46 PM.

Re: Blinking and Squinting?

It could definitely be a stim. I've worked with many kids on the spectrum who like to look at things in a particular unusual way (close to face, tilting head at a certain angle, squinting). Since you said he does it while watching TV and looking at a light and ceiling fan, I think he might like how the light looks through his eyelashes or something like that. However, it is never a bad idea to have physical things ruled out (i.e., vision issues).

Re: Blinking and Squinting?

This is my DS. He looks at objects sometimes tilting his head. He also squints. Not so much watching TV, but it gets me upset cause a lot of the time he will trip and fall cause his eyes are closed.

Re: Blinking and Squinting?

DS looks at things strangely and squints on and off. He did though go through a blinking phase recently. I was concerned about it too and actually posted about it awhile ago. The good news, at least in our case, is that the blinking was indeed a phase. It lasted about a month and then just quietly went away. I assume some day it will be back.

Re: Blinking and Squinting?

thanks for all the replies, I will mention at his next check up