Autism/ Arm flapping. - Autism Spectrum Message Board

HGriffiths · 06-21-2009, 09:55 AM

I'm 20 years old and since I was a baby I have done what my parents called flapping (arm flapping), it happened when I got excited. I still do it now but I have learnt to control it and if I need to I do it in private, it is mainly my Imagination that triggers it. I've always wounded what it is, is it Autism or something else?

Toadlily · 06-27-2009, 06:23 AM

My son does this. He uses his imagination a lot and it is accompanied with pacing, head and arm movements since he was little. It was always hard to distinguish that it wasn't part of his playacting. The worst comes out during an exciting event in a movie or fun social situations where there is a lot of activity and he is very happy. He is almost 12 and is just mature enough to finally discuss and deal with the behavior. That is why I am here, actually so I am very interested in your post and your experience.
I am finding what I read about Sensory Integration Dysfunction (Sensory Processing Disorder) very interesting. Have you looked at that? I wonder what your opinion about it is.

DrFishNips · 06-27-2009, 09:33 PM

Haha thats pretty funny. I compress my knuckles when I get excited. I do it just as much today as I did when I was 6. I been doing it so long I have thick callous on my left palm. Its pretty cool its like the thick pads you get on the heels of your feet. BTW I was diagnosed with autism so it could be autism. Then again I don't really believe in high functioning autism its just traits. Different people have different traits.

mscat40 · 06-28-2009, 03:04 PM

My son done the hand flapping , finger flipping in front of his eyes since he has been very young. It is a autism trait. At least that is what I have been told. He also spins in circles , and never becomes dizzy. it's so odd. He use to love to jump up and down when young too. But, now that he is nearly 16 yrs old, he hand flaps only when very excited . Or when in his "mode" Sometime he has a problem with uncontrobale laughter . He just laughs and can't stop. He gets into trouble for this at school. He's in a SDC H.S. class and they make him go outside until he stops the laughing. There are other things that he does too, that are common in high functioning autism. Which he is.