09/21/2025
Why Wandering Isn't Avoidance In Autistic Students!
When I enter a classroom as an OT, I never know what I’ll find. Once, I came in ready to practice handwriting with a student. But instead of sitting at their desk, they were drifting around the room—dragging toes on the carpet, brushing fingers along the wall.
At first glance, this might look like avoidance. They don’t want to work. But I now understand something different: Wandering is communication.
✨ Wandering as Communication
Autistic students don’t wander “aimlessly.” Their movement is meaningful. It might be:
• Seeking regulation through movement
• Managing overwhelm
• Regaining autonomy
• Exploring safely
This isn’t disinterest in people—it’s a way of staying connected to their bodies so they can connect with others later.
🧩 A Window Into the Nervous System
When a child wanders, it’s not refusal. It’s a signal: “My nervous system needs something before I can meet this demand.”
Instead of pulling them back to the desk, we can pause and ask:
• What sensory input are they seeking?
• Can we offer regulation before handwriting?
• Is handwriting the right demand right now?
💡 Shifting Our Lens
That student wasn’t refusing to engage. They were showing me—without words—that handwriting was too much in that moment. Once I reframed wandering as a message, I could respond with empathy instead of pressure.
Often, the best sessions start by meeting the child where they are—joining their movement, honoring their needs, and creating conditions where true engagement is possible.
🌱 Closing Reflection
Wandering isn’t disconnection. It’s wisdom. When we see it through the lens of regulation, we move from frustration to respect.
👉 Have you ever wandered with a child?
👉 Did that build their trust in you?
