Autism-World

Q: My 2 year old son who’s biggest red flag so far has been language delay and a little bit of atypical eye contact has started flapping quite a bit when he’s excited. It’s only for a couple of seconds and he’s easily redirected. Is this ever a behavior seen in a NT toddler when they are excited? Thanks.

Answer:

Most children will flap when excited, especially preverbal. The more verbal kisds become the more you see changes moving to laughing, squealing(little girls especially) or shouting things out like, “Hooray! I got an ipod”.

Even adults do it. I saw a video yesterday of a guy that came home from college unannounced. One friend was taping others about how they missed him when he would suddenly appear right next to them. Not only did they flap but they ran a few feet, spun, and ran a few feet again.

NT substitutes for flapping may be making a fist and “pumping” the air when your favorite team makes a touchdown. Doing that funny little victory dance in the end zone. Drumming fingers, bouncing a foot, swaying in line, twirling your hair.

All these things are ways we either stimulated our bored self or to bring ourselves down so we stay in balance.

What makes the difference is how appropriate or inappropriate it is. How long, how often, is it connected to immediate surroundings/stimuli.

Whatever you do, don’t try to stop it. He needs to do it or he would not bother. If you try to take it away something way worse could take its place.

Good luck.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, February 9th, 2008 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Ask and answer.