This is the repetition or prolongation of an action, thought or utterance (such as a word, phrase or gesture) after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased and regardless of its absence.
Children who perseverate often say the same thing or behave in the same way repeatedly. They do it past the point where it makes sense or will change anything. It’s like they’re “stuck in a loop” that they can’t get out of.
Children who perseverate aren’t being defiant or stubborn. They have specific challenges that cause them to get stuck. They might struggle with managing stress, processing information, shifting attention, or being able to put the brakes on certain behaviors or thoughts. For some children perseveration can be a coping mechanism for when they feel overwhelmed, anxious or unfamiliar with a situation.
There can be several reasons why some children with learning and thinking differences get stuck. Many are related to weaknesses in executive functions or information processing. Some reasons include:
Having trouble finding ways to calm the body or mind.
Struggling with flexible thinking, which makes it hard to change his/her reaction in response to your reaction.
Having slow processing speed, making it hard to sort through his/her thoughts and understand a situation.
Finding it hard to understand social cues or to know how to react appropriately to a situation.
Having difficulty with impulse control, making it hard to stop once he/she gets started.
Being hyper focused, making it hard to switch his/her attention to something else. For children with sensory processing issues, getting stuck can often be a sign of a sensory overload. That kind of overload makes it even tougher to get “unstuck” and may lead to a meltdown.
A child that perseverates might:
Worry about something that might happen because it happened before. For example, not wanting to go outside because the neighbor's dog once got loose and scared him, and “it might happen again.”
Have trouble getting past being angry or scared.
Continue to ask the same question long after getting an answer.
Go over previous conversations or interactions in his/her mind. (This is sometimes called “looping thoughts.”)
Fidget or repeat an action repeatedly, such as zipping and unzipping his/her jacket or lining up all his/her toys in a row.
Repeatedly talk about something that happened a long time ago. For example: “Remember when Granny gave me that new toy car? She hid it and I found it when I was looking for something else. That was great. Remember that?”
Give the same answer to a different set of questions, even when the answer doesn’t make sense.
Look for a lost item in the same place without looking anywhere else because it “must be there.”
How can you help your child if they perseverate?
· Distract them with an activity change.
· Slow down, acknowledge their need to perseverate, even joining then for a few repetitions. This helps calm them.
· Say “STOP” (Coupled with a sigh for stop or a picture symbol). Tell them you are done talking about (perseverative idea). Use visual and verbal cues for the new idea.
· When all else fails ignore the perseverations.
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