Hand Flapping

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	I'm just wondering, does anyone know if it's normal for a baby to hand flap. Nina hand flaps ALL the time, when excited and does it very enthusiastically. But I'd say that at this time she has nothing else that worries me with her development. So can it be normal for a baby to hand flap a lot? Lots of babies hand flap. It is not unusual in a baby. Dear Allegra, I have seen many non-autistic kids who display some of unusual sensory issues. Hand flapping is just a their excitment, just look the people in ''Deal or not deal'',just pay attention of their hand flapping, they look absolutely funny:-)) I know you have put your second child under the microscope, but if you have noticed nothing else, I would not worry too much. I would worry about it, but that's just me. My NT daughter didn't hand flap as a baby or do anything that looked like "stemming". I think if your gut is telling you it is "off" that she is hand flapping, you might want to keep a close eye on it. My son's stemming started by 9 months old, even though I didn't realize it at the time and just thought he was being a baby - he still does it at age 6. Don't let it stress you too much, but I would really keep an eye on it as she grows. Hand flapping usually doesn't look like stimming in a baby. They have no language yet so their excitement is expressed physically. Young babies will also move their feet back and forth when they are excited.   If it looks off to you or you sense something unusual then of course you should remain watchful. I would just hate to see you unable to enjoy your babies happy moments because you are seeing them as something else. Does she flap hands just when she is excited or does it just seem more like something she does all the time. How old is your baby? jdecina39173.335I agree with the last poster too - dont let it take away from your enjoyment of your baby. My son was dx'd when we were 7 months pregnant with our second, who thankfully was a girl which lowered her risk of having Autism as you all know and she is NT. But that first year and a half if was rough - I don'tthink you CAN forget it, its always in the back of your mind "What if they have it?" One thing that really helped calm my mind & enjoy her more was Zoloft when I had finished breastfeeding. It is an antidepressant, I noticed right away that I was able to be alert about the possible autism but also relax and enjoy her babyhood :) my older girl used to handflap when excited, so dont worry if it is only redflag.Hi Allegra, I know that a lot of babies do this.  It's only worrisome when it doesn't stop as the child gets older.  I'm not sure what the "cut off" age would be, but maybe around a year or so? Actually, my son never did the handflapping thing until he was over 2.  The only unusual thing that I can remember him doing as an infant was bringing his hands up under his chin, like a switch, when he would eat, but no flapping. I know I would worry, too, though.  I would analyze everything.  I don't think that it's anything to worry about right now. nakama my two year old started flapping every time i would lay him down to change him,So one day I Asked him,"Whats wrong",he said ,"COLD". For him, it was the anticipation of the cold baby wipe. God bless,Linda She doesn't just do it when excited.  I'd say she does it when she feel any emotion. She is 11 months. My daughter did not so much flap, as pat things with both hands.  It phased out when she was about 2.5. Interestingly I was talking about hand-flapping with my husband ... we had discussed both being aspies, before ... but he got this look on his face.  Turns out he flapped from ages 7 - 9 and had NO idea it was even a symptom!  His father, er, discplined him out of it ... Allegra, hand-flapping was the ONLY red flag in my son until his language and social skills fell behind between age 2-3. I remember the exact words of the ped at age 1 : "videotape it because it's cute and don't worry about it". So, don't ignore it completely, keep an eye on other milestones, but it's too early to worry. C, my ASD son, has never, ever handflapped that I have observed, at any age. Ironically R, my NT son, does handflap when he is very, very, excited.  Last week at Disney when the parade first came into view R started jumping up and down and hand flapped for about 10 seconds screaming "look, it's Mickey!"  I probably would never have noticed it if I wasn't so aware of handflapping as an "ASD thing." I agree it's too early to worry. However, being a worrier myself I know I'd continue to worry regardless of whether anyone told me not to!  Just try not to worry too much and don't let the worries interfere with the joy of spending time with your little one.  (((((HUGS)))))
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