Autistic Child Throwing Toys? Here’s How To Help

“Joey, don’t!” That phrase has come out of my mouth numerous times when my autistic child is throwing toys. He can be angry, upset, or happy, but sometimes, he’ll just pick up his toys and throw them around the house.

But what drives him to act this way? Why does his mood rarely matter when he decides to throw his toys? While it’s common among children with autism spectrum disorder, there are ways to help them understand and manage this behavior.

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Autism Behavior Interventions

Is throwing things a sign of autism?

Simply put, throwing things like toys or other objects can be a sign of autism, but it’s not always the case. It’s incredibly common for toddlers to throw things as they work on ways to communicate before they’ve found their voice.

However, autism can worsen the situation and cause your child to throw objects. If the throwing continues well beyond the toddler age range, then it may be a sign of autism.

Both of my sons have been guilty of throwing things beyond the more neurotypical age range where throwing objects is common. During fits of autism rage, my sons have thrown toys, books, cups, food, and backpacks.

While my older son tends to only throw items when angry, my younger son throws things when he’s upset, happy, or excited.

Reasons autistic kids throw toys

There are several potential reasons why your autistic child may be throwing things. However, the three most common reasons are communication, sensory stimulation, and a coping mechanism.

Communication needs

Children with autism may struggle to communicate their wants and needs effectively. Some are nonverbal, and even some who can communicate verbally struggle to deliver the words and feelings behind them.

Due to ineffective communication skills, the children may begin throwing things. They may feel frustration or discomfort or just want to ask for something. When they aren’t getting that message across, they may turn to throwing items.

My son, Joey, has done this numerous times when it comes to food and drink. When he hasn’t used sign language or his AAC device to tell us what he wants, he has sometimes grabbed the juice from the fridge and thrown it across the room.

At that moment, I understood what he wanted and guided him to his AAC device so he could ask for the juice rather than let him continue throwing the bottle.

Sensory stimulation

Sensory input is often an important motivator for children with autism. They may like the way the toy feels when they throw it. Throwing items like toys can help stimulate and regulate sensory needs.

This is something my son would do when he was younger. Seemingly, out of nowhere, he would pick up a toy and just throw it across the room. He would then laugh at what he’d done. It met some need for him, even if my wife and I didn’t understand why or how.

Coping mechanism

Throwing objects like toys can also serve as a coping mechanism when an autistic child is feeling overwhelmed. The child may need a way to regulate their emotions, and throwing items helps with that.

Throwing things to help regulate emotions and serve as a coping mechanism isn’t exclusive to autism. I know neurotypical people who have taken to throwing things to cope with their emotions.

They’ll often go to an ax-throwing place that allows them to throw axes in a controlled environment so they don’t accidentally injure someone. However, people with autism may not seek this controlled environment when they decide to start throwing items, so it is something to keep an eye on.

How to manage when children throw things

As parents, we can’t just sit around and let our children throw items, so we must find ways to help manage this behavior. We must take some important steps to ensure the safety of our children and those who may be in their vicinity.

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These include:

• Creating a safe environment – Parents may have to make changes to their homes to ensure safety. This includes removing potentially breakable objects from the area and replacing them with something softer, lighter, and less likely to cause damage.
• Identifying triggers – This is important for any potentially damaging behavior. Pay close attention to the when, where, and what is going on when your child wants to throw something. Once you track a pattern, you can remove the triggers and hopefully reduce the throwing behavior.
• Teaching replacement behaviors – Your child is unlikely to stop throwing things on their own. If removing the triggers is impossible, a replacement behavior can help address the situation. You can use stress balls, sensory activities, or visual cues to help encourage a new desired behavior.
• Rewarding positive behaviors – When encouraging replacement behaviors, parents should offer immediate praise whenever their children use them. This will enable them to continue looking for more appropriate ways to express themselves.
• Modeling behaviors – Many children may need additional help with these new behaviors. Parents can help model what they want to see from their children. Providing an example to follow can help the child understand the expectations of them.

Still, if these behavior management techniques don’t work, it may be time to seek professional help.

When to see a medical professional

If your child’s throwing becomes too frequent, behavioral professionals can help address the issue. Occupational therapists can help children develop life skills that address sensory needs and coordination issues.

Behavioral therapists, like those associated with ABA, can help motivate the child to learn a new skill other than throwing. Professional help can improve your child’s behavior while also teaching them independence.

Moving forward with understanding

It can be tough to see your kids throw toys for seemingly no reason and not know how to stop it. It’s important to be patient and understanding when addressing this issue. Your children with autism probably don’t know why what they’re doing can be wrong.

You can use management strategies to explain why it’s not a good action and find a new one to replace it. It may require professional help, but by working together, you can make sure your child stops throwing toys.

FAQs

Q: Do autistic kids like to throw toys?

A: Throwing toys is a common trait among children with autism. Many children will throw toys and other objects for communication needs, sensory input, or emotional expression.

Q: Is throwing things sensory seeking?

A: While there may be many possible reasons for a child to throw things, one could be that they seek sensory input. Throwing objects may heighten experiences through movement.

Q: How do you discipline an autistic child for throwing things?

A: Positive reinforcement is considered the best tactic when disciplining a child who throws things. Visual supports, social stories, and redirecting behavior can help the child move to more appropriate activities.

Q: What toys should autistic children avoid?

A: Children with autism should avoid toys that may be a choking hazard or easily broken if dropped or thrown.