Autistic children slapping repetitively has become one of the primary actions studied within the autistic community. This is an occurrence that almost all parents of autistic children report with their child and it is frustrating to manage.Why would a child want to cause self inflicted injury? It appears to be the repetitiveness that the autistic child is after, and that they can actually feel the repetition, which may be calming to a child who is overstimulated. The identification of pain that the slapping causes, is not always felt by the self-inflicted injuries done by the autistic child, so he/she keeps doing it.Autism is diagnosed when a child is seen to have many symptoms, which include repetition as discussed, also difficulty with communication skills, a problem maintaining or making eye contact, constant overstimulation even in situations which do not seem traumatic to a child without this disorder. In addition autistic children have a problem reading social cues, signals, and having proper reactions to things that occur in their daily lives.The possible causes of autism are still being debated, and nothing has been identified as the sole cause of this disorder.. Many blame vaccinations and mercury in the child's body as a possible cause of autism, but most medical research believe that it is unrelated. Experts of medical research point to autism being an inherited genetic trait, making some children much more susceptible to getting the disorder. There are many alternative theories as well, which include putting children on gluten free diets. Many parents who have attempted these diets (which mean you must remove all wheat, barley, rye, and starches from your child's diet) see extreme improvement, some parents reported, that their children basically function normally once this type of diet is instituted, leading people to believe it is similar to an allergy.The medical researchers believe there may be something in our environment causing autism, they are quick to point out that the ability to diagnose autism has taken great strides over the past decade to prevent this disorder. Previously, autistic children were seen as impossible to educate and removed from interaction with other people, and now, there are techniques that can be used to help autistic children assimilate in to normal learning situations. Interestingly, boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls, which is also a challenge to researchers at this time.Slapping repetitively is difficult for a parent to deal with. Self destructive behavior doesn't make logical sense, and of course a parent wants to protect their child from harm. Most children are doing it to calm themselves from overstimulation. If different therapies have not worked (including diet, etc) most doctors recommend, one should try to decipher what causes your child to do this, and avoid them at all costs. If you eliminate these things from your child's daily life as much as possible, these incidences will become few and far between. As a child grows up and has recognized the difficulties, it is important to encourage them to monitor their own behavior. Rewarding them for positive behavior and making steps to improve is extremely important.Autism is a challenged issue at this time. The medical community is dedicated in finding a cure, and hopefully autistic children with this behavior of slapping repetitively, will not be a problem. Parents in the future will not feel threatened, and will find a common ground, to understand why this is happening.When a parent sees his or her child slap repetitively, it brings great concern as to what extent could cause injury and sometimes become serious. Included with the concern of injuries inflicted, there is the stress and strife parents and family members feel in public, as well as in, private surroundings and their environment.It is wise, to acknowledge slapping repetitively in autistic children and get familiar with it. Read about it, and ask medical experts questions. Try to accept that this disrupts a person's sense of well-being and emotional state.Gathering information from books, the internet, and those who have already been through what you're facing can shed light on you and your situation.