8 months old arm flapping - concern

[TTC LADY]

Whilst out with my friend today riya was flapping her arms quite alot, almost like she was waving with both hands. It's something new I've noticed over the last week or so and didn't think anything of it.

However my friend mentioned that arm flapping could be a sign of autism, OMG she's got me worried now.

Is this a normal development thing or should I be concerned, she's hitting all her other milestones fine.

Please put my mind at rest and tell me if your LO did this around the 8 month stage.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yes, Ruby flaps her arms when she's excited. It's a totally normal thing for them to do

 

[nikkip19]

luca does this allllllll the time. i too am always worried it may be a sign of autism. i think that at this young age it isnt too much of a concern. try not to worry

 

[TTC LADY]

Yes, Ruby flaps her arms when she's excited. It's a totally normal thing for them to do

Riya flaps her arms whether she's excited or not, ie sometimes when she's just lying on the floor

 

[nikkip19]

babies dont have many ways of expressing themselves yet. so they opt for what they can do. i try not to worry because theres nothing we can do at this point if (God forbid) there is a problem

 

[Char&Bump-x]

Kyla does it all the time too, same age aswell x

 

[TTC LADY]

Kyla does it all the time too, same age aswell x

That's reassuring. Does Kyla do it when she's not excited aswell?

 

[angelstardust]

Arms are fun, you can flap them and it's pretty cool and your hands go wheeeeeee!! And then they hit your legs and oh my god there's my feet! Squeeee! Feet! Oh! Look my arms can do this! Flap flap flap...

Honestly, don't read anything into it, if I told you that breathing could be a sign of autism you would tell me to shut up and not pay any attention at all. So, don't pay any attention at all to arm flapping.

 

[nikkip19]

and yes luca does it when hes happy ... mad... playing with toys... hmph. being a mom is driving me insane with worry

 

[Char&Bump-x]

Kyla does it all the time too, same age aswell x

That's reassuring. Does Kyla do it when she's not excited aswell?

Yep, she does it to get attention too, and just for the sake of it lol
Don't worry xx

 

[MrsRH]

Joe does it too esp when excited!
People come out with such rubbish!
x

 

[mommyof3co]

Arm flapping is a sign of autism...but I don't think in babies that age. I remember all 3 boys doing it too and all are fine

 

[angelstardust]

Here we go, have a look here

https://helpguide.org/mental/autism_signs_symptoms.htm

Goes into a lot of detail, and firther dwn the page there is a big red box of warning signs at what age.

The following delays warrant an immediate evaluation by your child’s pediatrician:

* By 6 months: No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions.
* By 9 months: No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions.
* By 12 months: No babbling or “baby talk.”
* By 12 months: No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving.
* By 16 months: No spoken words.
* By 24 months: No meaningful two-word phrases that don’t involve imitating or repeating.
* At any age: Any loss of speech, babbling, or social skills.


No mention of arm waving.

 

[becstar]

La does it all the time... she also likes to stare at her hands etc, she's so tiny I don't read anything into it.

 

[hopedance]

baby arm flapping and autistic arm flapping seem quite different to me. sam flaps and sort of whacks things with his hands in excitement. autistic arm flapping is a lot more purposeful and graceful (i think, anyway!! lol) and they hold theirs hands differently, sort of loose at the wrist..

there is a video you can watch here: https://www.theautismtrust.org.uk/, it's the one on that first page, a couple of the (very gorgeous yummy) kids i work with are on there, the first face you see, a little blonde girl is one, and it shows her hand flapping really early on in the video which shows quite common autistic flapping. hope that helps.

edited to add - the video itself is rubbish imo, so miserable, as if the kids are so unhappy. the ones i work with have a fabulous time, we play tons of games and get loads of cuddles and hugs.

 

[Racheldigger]

Rowan flaps her arms when she's cross, particularly if she wants me to stop doing something that I'm doing to her, like buttoning her dress or wiping her nose. I don't think she started quite as early as 8 months, but it wouldn't have been far off.

 

[xxx bex xxx]

i watched the programme when this was mentioned about arm flapping being linked to autism....but it was in older children also making high pitched noises..... you baby will be flapping her arms because its exciting,same as babies making high pitched noises because they have found their voice!!!
i really wouldn't worry!!its normal!!

 

[Snugglepup]

My nephew flapped his arms for years when he was excited, I'm not sure when he stopped but he doesn't do it now at 11 and there is nothing wong with him. He used to go on tiptoe to do it too hehe.

 

[Racheldigger]

Forgot to say that Rowan flaps her arms when she's excited too, but differently. When she's excited, she flaps them up and down, but when she's having a strop, she whizzes them jerkily from side to side, crossing them in front of her, for greatest efficiency in knocking away anything that's inconveniencing her, such as an approaching spoonful of Calpol! I too am in constant fear of autism; when I've got nothing better to worry about, I worry that one morning I'll go to the cot and my button-bright, sociable, smiling, babbling, blithe and bonny baby will look at me with no recognition in her eyes and start to bang her head against the bars. However, I keep telling myself that she recognises family members and nursery staff, and is clearly pleased to see them, she initiates games (covering her head with a blanket to play Peepo!) and has special games that she only plays with Daddy or Grandma, and she communicates remarkably well considering she only has a six-word vocabulary, so it's clearly just me that's miserably paranoid.

 

[bloodbinds]

Yeah Bella has a weird arm flapping thing which has only just started happening the last couple of weeks, and only on the one arm, but i remember my nephew doing exactly the same thing at his age, so i'm not worried!