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Original poster

Hand flapping

29 replies

LaDiDaDi · 09/08/2007 18:46

Just wondering if this is ever "normal" iyswim or if it is always associated with ASD?

I'm sure that I can recall it being normal up to a certain age but I'm really not sure anymore! Anyone know?

OP posts:
Original poster
LaDiDaDi · 09/08/2007 20:31

bump

OP posts:
sphil · 09/08/2007 22:29

I think it's also common in NT children - only a red flag for ASD if it's combined with other traits (language delay, delays in social and play skills). My autistic son does it, but so does our 4 year old neighbour who's as far from autistic as it's probably possible to be!

2mum · 10/08/2007 10:52

i cant say ive really noticed it in nt children apart from babies. My son does this when he gets excited at words and colours on tv. He has asd.

Dinosaur · 10/08/2007 10:56

I think it does occur in nt children but it is probably not as noticeable, frequent or intense as in children with an ASD.

DS3 is very classically flappy, iykwim.

Pinkchampagne · 10/08/2007 10:57

My son does this a lot, and he has possible AS/dyspraxia, but there are lots of other worries alongside the hand flapping. Don't know if I would worry if there were no other concerns. The pead that saw my DS said that NT children can hand flap as a sign of stress/excitement, and it is not always something to be concerned about.

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:02

DD1 does it a lot - even with her legs.

She's definitely not ASD or anywhere on the spectrum.

She is, however, dyspraxic and has GDD.

Dinosaur · 10/08/2007 11:03

How does she flap with her legs? I haven't come across that one before!

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:03

Her feet spasm, Dino.

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:04

And her legs do, too.

Paed thinks that's more the dyspraxia.

She does it when excited.

Dinosaur · 10/08/2007 11:14

Oh, okay - that's quite a different kettle of fish, isn't it .

DS3's hand-flapping is definitely voluntary, rather than involuntary.

ahundredtimes · 10/08/2007 11:15

DS1 does hand flap when excited, but he's a bit hyposensitive - he shakes his head alot too and hangs upside down off the furniture, chews things all the time.

Hmmm. I think if you want NT hand-flappers, you might be better off starting a thread in Behaviour/Development? Then everyone might rush in and say "oh yes mine does' or something? I shall watch with interest.

Expat - our OT came back with DCD for ds2. What's the difference between that and GDD do you think?

Pinkchampagne · 10/08/2007 11:16

My DS also pats his hands rapidly on the back of his head sometimes

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:16

DD1 just automatically does it when she's excited and it really is more like a spasm.

If you pull her up on it, she'll stop it, which makes me think it's involuntary.

Just one of her issues. Far greater ones on the horizon, though.

The OT said to just let it lie.

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:17

Dunno, hundred, I'm still waiting for our copy of the paed's report, and she just went on 8 August.

She starts OT again next week, though, and SALT again the week after.

Dinosaur · 10/08/2007 11:17

What are services like in Argyllshire, expat (that is where you're moving to, isn't it)?

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:21

I don't know, Dino. I imagine it's going to involve going to Glasgow, which is fine with us.

We can't stay here no matter what. It's too expensive for us. Even to rent.

expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:24

So far, she's got a place at the nursery/pre-school - well, they're attached to the primary school here in Scotland, and there's only one in the area.

So she's set for that and they know about her SN.

I'll be across to visit the new surgery next week and start coordinating what we'll need to do about her care.

One of these days, she'll figure out potty training . . . I hope

foxinsocks · 10/08/2007 11:26

ds is a big hand flapper. He also clenches his fists (and arms) when he's excited too. People have pointed out this behaviour to us as being non-NT but he doesn't have any special need that we know of (he's 5 now).

FioFio · 10/08/2007 11:27

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expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:33

Is hers more like a spasm, too, Fio?

She's honestly not conscious of it unless you point it out to her - DD1, that is.

And the legs, they got all rigid (this is if she is sitting down when excited) and the feet sort of flap about.

FioFio · 10/08/2007 11:35

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expatinscotland · 10/08/2007 11:37

What's weirdly funny is that DD1 can do something else with one hand whilst the other is flapping.

For example, last year, when we first took her to nursery, she was thrilled and running about.

I found her standing at an easel, 'painting' - she doesn't draw shapes - with one hand whilst the other was flapping wildly.

Peachy · 10/08/2007 11:39

Can be normal yes- also its a type of flapping apaprnelty in ASD kids- aped made me mimic it! Was from the elbows to hands in ds's

ahundredtimes · 10/08/2007 11:42

Peachy, I've aped ds1, to see what it feels like. And it is rather exciting when you do it. DS1 pulls faces too, and I do that as well to see why you might pull that face.

So that's us, walking round the kitchen flapping and ticking left right and centre. lol.

Bink · 10/08/2007 12:49

ds, who's 8 with (at least) dyspraxic traits & socialisation issues, flaps like anything in certain high-excitement circs - most recent was watching some teenagers play a fast-paced Wii game. His is very fast upanddown from wrists held about chest-level. (I've copied to see how it feels - it hurts me!)

Several other boys his sort of age were also watching and it was quite noticeable how different his gestures were to theirs - theirs invariably used clenched fists. I wonder if it is something immature in what feels "right" in your muscles at a certain age (hence the flapping hurting my wrists) rather than learnt gesture? - so connected with dyspraxia?

Don't know. Anyway, ds's flapping only really stands out now he's 8, and since it's a sign of happy excitement I can accept it as part of him. I'd be much more concerned if it indicated stress or unhappiness.