What does hand flapping look like?

Post Reply New Topic

It's not the same for everyone because 1)different people have different reactions to sensory stimuli and 2)stereotypies are done for different reasons, to shut off and to intensify stimuli.

My VERY verbal son hand-flaps or stims - sorry if that offends - what else should I call it? He has don it since I can remember - He is 11 now and was only diagnosed at age 10. We always thought it was just a cute kid thing "Oh look isn't that cute? He's so excited" He only does it when he is very excited or intently thinking about something. It has changed it's presentation - when he was young he would actually flap his hands -both at the same time. NOw it looks like he is rapidly moving his fingers up and down without actually moving his hands. We discourage it only in public settings so he won't get teased but otherwise just let him do it.

Maye like nervous ticks. Self-comforting behaviors--this sounds better, I think.

I just don't pay it much attention. My son does shake his head a bit back and forth when he's in his zone--I imagine he sees imagery in his head like a movie. It's just what he does. Someone else might bite his/her nails, squint, bite his/her lip, jump up and down, shake a leg, tap toes or fingers, click tonuges, whistle, blow air out, sniff, snort--it's what makes us human. Who sits, completely still, all day? This seems abnormal to me!! !! In fact, if I see a young child, especially a boy, that is too still or slow or immobile or hestitant, I conclude that he's medicated. We are all filled with energy (kids moreso) as we should be! It's called being alive.

equinn

erased.

Stereotype behaviours are referred to as "stimming" which is slang for self-stimulation. When I was a kid I did the hand-flapping combined with running in circles, grimacing, and making strange noises and sometimes I wasnt even aware that I was doing it! The point Im making is that my behaviours were not deliberate, the were as compulsory as *tics*. Ive come to think of stereotype behaviours as being more complex, repatative ticks because mine were involuntary. Am I wrong about this?