why would an autistic child engage in feces smearing?

[bigchief388]

I am a case worker and i have an autistic child that engages in poop smearing every 3 to six months. Mother does not know the reason for this behavior. He smears feces on the walls and plays with it in his hands like clay. When his mother approaches, he hurries to clean his hands thus concludung that he understands to a degree that what he is doing is socially inappropriate. When his mother tries to talk to him about it, he puts his head down and refuses to talk about it. The child is 11 yoa. Behavior began at age 7.  His natural father has been out of the home since he was 4 months old. Father has been in and out of jail and not in child's life. Mother has remarried, so he has a male figure in his life. Can you give me some suggestions for how to deal with this and maybe some reasons for the behavior? Thank You.

[MJIthewriter]

Could he perhaps benefit from a substitute?  I like to manipulate things in my hands, but I grew up with modeling clay available.  I'd make stuff out of the modeling clay or kneed it.  I also liked silly putty.

That may be a possiblity. See if that would help fufill the need to mold something in ones hand without using fecal mater.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

The management of the behavior should be the priority, and the best approach is a simple disciplinary system. It would likely involve an immediate time out period. If the behavior is intermittent, rather than continuous, it is likely a response to stress. Howver, it may not be obvious what exactly the nature of the stress is with an autistic child. Needless to say, very close supervision is required. There's no point in engaging in much discussion about it. Rather, very clear, simple limit setting and dsicipline should be applied.