Question from a curious neighbor

[Joe B.]

Is hand flapping a symptom unique to Autism Spectrum Disorder or can it be attributed to other conditions as well? A teen in the neighborhood mows several of the lawns and generally seems like a normal kid but a little odd. He doesn't seem to have many friends and is unusually shy, rarely introducing himself or striking up conversations on his own -- his parents or other people generally initiate. Once chatting he seems very intelligent, engaged, and even outgoing, but he also tends to avoid eye contact, is easily intimidated, and just seems a bit socially awkward for lack of a better description. And he flushes considerably when he's excited, upset, embarrassed, etc. His adoptive parents said he experienced some kind of trauma (abuse?) while with his biological parents, which largely makes sense. But he also does some kind of hand flapping when he's excited/nervous and doesn't realize anyone's looking. I thought that was a kind of "stimming" unique to Autism and, without intruding into their lives, am wondering if a difficult childhood could account for that or if there's necessarily more to the story.

 

[Progster]

Well, when I'm excited or very stressed, I often do this hand-flapping and it has nothing to do with abuse or a 'difficult childhood' - it's human, a response to the extreme stimulation, a way to dissipate it, regulate or control it, to calm and bring my emotions into equilibrium again. But I don't think that it is exclusively autistic people who do this, look at small children when they are excited, do they not often jump up and down, flap and shout? Even adults might sometimes do this, just perhaps not in public - they are socially conditioned not to show emotion in this way because it is considered childlike.

 

[Suzanne]

Sounds like me and even today, as a woman, when I get excited, I behave as though a child and cannot initate much at all.

 

[AO1501]

Hand flapping is a very common autistic behaviour, but it is not exclusively autistic. That said, the description of other characteristics, along with hand flapping, would tend to suggest that he is on the spectrum somewhere.

As Progster said, it is likely not an issue of a 'difficult childhood' or early-life trauma, though autistic children are rather more prone to negative experiences than others might be.

 

[Illumination]

I'd have to agree with the others, Hand Flapping is a primarily Autistic behavior beyond a certain age, but it can be exhibited by people without Autism (It's just a lot rarer to see in NT's in teens and beyond). -- The other behaviors combined with hand flapping seem to indicate that he is on the spectrum.

 

[Tom]

As per a brief online search, it is not limited to autism. However that along with some other behaviors you mention do suggest him being a HFA as a definate possibility.