Understanding repetitive behaviours

Many autistic children use routines, rituals or repeated actions to feel calm. These behaviours can help manage strong emotions like anxiety or frustration. For example, some children might:

• repeat words or movements (known as stimming)
• follow a set routine
• get upset if things change unexpectedly

These actions are not always a sign of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). They are often healthy ways to cope. It is useful to notice whether the repeated behaviour makes the child feel better, instead of worse.

What makes it OCD

OCD is different. It involves a specific fear of a bad event and a behaviour that tries to stop the bad event from happening. For example, a child might switch a light on and off five times to stop a parent from getting ill, even though there’s no real link between the action and the feared event.

These behaviours are called compulsions. They often:

• take more and more time over weeks or months
• change or grow in number
• involve others, like asking for reassurance
• make the child feel worse over time, instead of better

Supporting recovery

To help a child with OCD, we need to gently challenge the belief behind the behaviour. Therapy can help the child learn that the action doesn’t prevent the feared event. It can also help them feel more able to cope if something difficult does happen.