Hand flapping.

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Is this considered to be more of an autistic thing than any other forms of stimming? It's the only thing I do but I don't hear others talk about it much, mostly just the rocking back and forth and foot tapping. It it considered extreme? I never do it in public, only in my house. This and pacing.

textbook asperger criterium

I don't flap, I rock.

I don't flap or rock. I tap my foot.

Flapping is one of the 'classic' stims I read about to 'watch for' as a sign of autism. I don't really flap (unless perhaps I'm forgetting a word or something), I more make strange and sudden claw-shapes with my hand. And I rock a bit.

I try not to flap my hands in public, but sometimes it just happens. I have a much harder time controlling my finger flapping of my left hand, and because it's more subtle, I don't care so much. OP, I don't know if it's considered extreme or not. Attwood lists all kinds of stims from repeated movements to imitating animal sounds. Other than that, I haven't found much in books about hand or finger flapping.

I also rock quite a bit, but it's subtle.

When I'm struggling to recall something I often do a minor kind of hand flap. I never worried about it being noticed......it's not like I'm going to smack anybody. Or I might snap my fingers a few times.

I've never rocked or flapped. I pace though.

I also like to run my hands along things, like I'll run my hand just under a railing so that my hand bounces in and out between the vertical posts. I'll also run my finger along, following the the mortar cracks, when I'm walking beside a brick or concrete block wall. I think I just generally like to touch and feel things as I'm walking. I never notice "normal" people doing what I do. Oh well. I was chastized as a child for doing it because one teacher thought it spread germs, or I could catch something, or they just thought it was dirty. I don't really remember the exact reason. Possibly it just looked weird.

I don't flap, but I rock constantly, both sitting and standing, and I walk in counterclockwise circles. The other day I caught myself doing the snapping-the-crab-claw thing with my hand, which was a new one. And I wiggle my foot when I'm sitting and unable to move otherwise. Now that I see it all listed before me it seems strange, but when I'm doing it it doesn't feel odd at all.... it's as if everyone stims, at least sometimes. As a child, I remember lots of girls (not boys) wiggling their feet.

I flap flick, rock, spin, among many other stims.

Me, too! And again and again an again...I always have a rythym to tap .

I tap my foot, or pick my thumb with my pointer finger. I used to flap hands, but I made a big effort to stop that since it made people think other things about me, which aren't so.

Charles

Just seen my first hand flapper today! He was dressed normally, and in a suit, but there was something different about him (his walk I think) and then I looked at his hands and saw they sticking out at his sides (like a penguin) and flapping slightly.... I wouldn't have thought any morea bout it, except that I knew the criteria.

Kind of fun aspie-spotting

I don't flap myself, or stim in any way really

Ooohh, the idea of being spotted really intimidates me! I don't know why, because I guess the potential spotter would be somewhat sympathetic...hopefully??

I think rocking is more recognizable as an autistic action to most people. Hand flapping can have many different "causes".

Personally I don't believe I hand flap, but I do walk in (clockwise) circles, pace, rock slightly and wiggle my foot/feet amongst other small things. Most of the time I can keep it in check when in public but some subtle stims escape me from time to time.

lol, I wouldn't worry about it . Most people have never even heard of AS. Even if they have, they usually have better things to do!

I understand the creepiness though. Don't worry, I don't actively sit in a cafe with a notepad and binoculars- usually it's only if I'm walking behind someone and they have an unusual walk, or I'm introduced to someone who has obvious social anxiety/awkwardness- and to be honest, lots of non-aspies can have those traits too.

I jump to 'AS' immediately because I have AS myself. Since its well known to me, I'm probably hypersensitive to the positive traits and ignore ones that don't fit (have you seen those 'Hitler/Princess Diana/Pochahontas was an aspie' threads here? Same thing). I've heard people refer to it as 'aspie-dar'. Personally, as a diagnostic tool, I reckon it's only slightly more accurate than blindfolding yourself and pointing at random people .

So, yeah, you've nothing to worry about .

My hands are quite spastic: I flap (down by my sides, or held out at a 45º angle or in front of my face), I wring; rub them together really fast and hold them in odd postures. It's unconscious at first, but I usually catch myself. I also tap my fingers to an inner rhythm or to music. My hands won't keep still, really.

I full body rocked as a kid and into my early 30's. It actually caused some spinal damage from the repetitiveness. I find the flapping went up a lot since I made myself stop this behavior. Now, I usually sway lightly in my seat at times, or I'll be i.e., lying down and suddenly and briefly rock back and forth really hard. This usually occurs when I'm stressed, upset or just excited about something or music has grabbed me. I also pace (while flapping or wringing) a lot.