Greetings Earthlings! 🙂
So today I’m going to take a look at the latest craze- Fidget Spinners. I couldn’t take more than 50 steps in Dublin the other day without someone trying to sell me one! 😛
So what exactly are they?
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Fidget Spinners are a handheld device where the centre is held between your fingers and you spin the device. They come in all shapes and sizes and are designed to relieve stress.
Here’s a video discussing them and some of the crazy things that people have been using them for:
But what have Fidget Spinners got to do with autism?
Whilst they may have only surged in popularity in recent months, Fidget Spinners were actually invented in the 1990’s to help people who have trouble focusing, such as those with ADHD, anxiety and autism, to channel excess nervous energy and stress into the spinning device. The thinking is that by diverting the excess energy into a physical action, this frees up certain areas of the brain from distraction, allowing you to better pay attention. It is also thought that fidgeting can relieve the brain of negative and obsessive thoughts.
But do they really work?
Opinions are polarizing as to whether or not they actually help. There is very little scientific evidence to support these claims. Of the studies that are out there, most focus on general fidgeting such as foot tapping, where it has been shown that movement can help to maintain alertness and improve working memory, but there are no studies specific to the Fidget Spinner itself.
Some experts warn that these toys may actually prove to be even more of a distraction for people with attention disorders. In theory, the toys occupy the hands so that you can focus your mind on the lesson (like stress balls), however, experts believe that the visually pleasing spin of the blades could add a further element of distraction.
For teachers, they are proving to be a distracting nightmare in the classroom with many banning the device.
As opinions are divided, I decided to get one for myself and, pardon the pun, give it a whirl 😉
There is definitely something oddly satisfying about holding the device between your fingers as it whirs into life, and there have been several moments where I’ve felt the addictive urge to spin it throughout the day.
However, I did not find it soothing from an anxiety perspective. In fact it actually really annoyed me when it would stop spinning and I would have to get the rotors spinning again! 😛 I also found that it didn’t substitute as a calming “stim” and that I still reached to fidget with my necklace whilst I was using the Fidget Spinner!
That being said, autism is a spectrum where no two are alike. The Fidget Spinner may not work for me, but it could still be a nifty little tool to help manage ADHD and anxiety in another autist 🙂
So by all means, go on! Give it a spin!! 😉
(I have got to stop with these terrible puns… 😛 )
Aoife
A Is For Aoife Not Autism 