Small child stimming, sort of, hand tic, wrists rolling..

[DadCanIHaveAZedgie]

My DS is 2 years 9 months and since he was a tiny baby (easily since six months) he's done this thing where both his arms fly out to the side, he rolls his wrists, opens and closes his hands and wiggles his fingers. Usually accompanied by a sort of surprised face (wide open mouth).

Does anybody else's small child do this?

I thought it was just excitement and he'd grow out of it but if anything it's becoming more frequent. There's no particular reason for it happening, no trigger as such, It's like stimming, but not, if you know what I mean.

I'm not trying to label him or armchair diagnose or anything. I'm just worried, I don't even want to write this thread to ask really. He's probably fine and I'm just stressing unnecessarily. He is (unsurprisingly) my PFB.

I’d get it on video and show your GP if I were you.

Could it be a retained reflex or something?

It’s hard to say what it might be without seeing it in action, have you seen your HV about it?

Dd used to do almost exactly the same. She had some minor speech issues also, so as you can imagine, I worried myself sick.

She grew out of it completely at 5 or 6 and hasn't done it since. She's 8 now and definitely NT

In fact, I'd completely forgotten all about it until
I read your thread

HTH

I've got loads of examples on video (he does it all the time) I did think GP initially but I thought I'd probably be sent away with a "silly first time mother" flea in my ear. Off to Google retained reflex.

HV is a good shout, I'll give them a ring tomorrow.

He's a bright little button, very verbal and a good communicator, although obviously he has no idea he's doing it.

All my three children have/had an arm related tic. DD still has hers - it’s a sort of jazz hands with a facial component (a sort of grimace). With her it’s excitement related. DS1/2 was more anxiety based - they both disappeared by age 10.
I also had a hand related one, which stopped about the same age.
DS2 has a very mild SEN, but is fine now.