Hand Flapping
Stemming that is repetitive behaviour seen mostly seen in autistic children. One of a stemming is hand flapping is a self stimulating behaviour.
Types –There are many types of hand flapping can be present in case of autism and those are –
1.Moving fingers vigorously
2.Clicking fingers
3.Moving arms up and down
4.Clapping hands continuously
5.Clinching fists
Reasons –
➢Express emotions – when a child is excited or sad started flapping their hands ups and downs or clap or wrong their hands.
➢Self regulation – when they feel anxious amongst people or when they triggered by loud noise or bright light or smell.
➢Escaping over stimulation.
➢Hand flapping can be a sign of other conditions like neurological disorder or down syndrome and OCD.
Recovery from hand flapping –
1.If stemming is occurring due to medical conditions then it might get right by proper medical treatment and interventions.
2.If stemming is seen in an autistic child, then various sensory exercise can reduce it.
3.Sitting in swings can be beneficial for children.
4.Calm and safe environment for children can reduce their anxiety which leads to reduced hand flapping in them.
Conclusion –
Stemming in an autistic child is a very common symptom and not a very concerning issue. Proper medical interventions in medical cases and therapeutic interventions in autism or OCD or Down Syndrome can control their repetitive behaviours and can completely wipe out this problem.
