1

Stereotypies are an autistic behavior that have only recently become an object of study. The analysis of many testimonies by people with autism or their relatives suggests that they are mainly conscious and voluntary acts that aim to regulate autistic individuals’ sensory hyperperception, to bring coherence to their minds, to somatize a disorder, or to manage a stressful event. In this context, stereotypies must be better accepted by those close to the person with autism. They must not be systematically combated unless they endanger the autistic individual's health, safety, or social integration, but they should be kept under control to prevent them from spreading too far.