Using hand as a tool

[angpat]

Wanted to ask if this was an example of using hand as a tool. My son was playing with a teddy that sings “if you re happy and you know it clap your hands” I clapped my hands and he clapped his hands , he then got my husbands hands and looked at him and clapped them together and then went back to clapping himself once my husband started to clap. Is this using hand as a tool? If not please could I be given some examples of abnormal ways of using hands?
thank you!

I suppose you could say that is using the hand as a tool, or he could have just wanted him to clap so physically made him do so. My son is autistic, and his hand leading was very obvious. He would place my hand on a door handle, or a cupboard, or anything he wanted to get to really, he would use my hand as a tool for it. I would thinking clapping my hands for me would just be him trying to get me involved in the song.

Thanks for your reply. Would he do this many times a day or just occasionally ? This happens very rarely with my son so I’m thinking it maybe isn’t atypical as I’m guessing if so would happen frequently ? Usually if he wants something he will look at us and point or say the word or bring us the toy and action to open it.

@Dinkydonut1 in addition to the above reply - would your son use your hand as a tool for things he couldn’t do himself or also things he could do but wanted you to do it instead of himself ?

He would do it all of the time, and he would use my hand for things he could and couldn’t do himself.

Would it be with eye contact or without ?

Both as I recall

It sounds like your son is engaging in a social and imitative activity rather than using a hand as a tool in the clinical sense. Using a hand as a tool typically refers to using it in an unusual or instrumental way, like pressing on a surface to activate a button instead of using a finger, or picking up an object with the back of the hand instead of grasping it normally. Your son's actions seem more like playful engagement and encouraging participation rather than an atypical use of hands. If you're concerned about hand use, some examples of unusual behaviors might include using someone else’s hand as a tool to complete tasks without seeking their engagement (e.g., guiding your hand to open a jar rather than trying themselves). Hope this helps!