Autism Hand Posturing: Causes and Management

Ever since I was a kid, I constantly rubbed my hands together. People would often ask if I was cold because the motion resembled what many people do to warm their hands. This rubbing my hands together is a stim called hand posturing.

While I was never diagnosed with autism, hand posturing behaviors are common among individuals with autism. These behaviors are often repetitive and purposeless. There can be many causes, and sometimes, the behaviors may have to be managed.

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What is autism hand posturing?

Simply put, hand posturing in autism is often described as stereotypical hand movements that serve as self-stimulatory behavior. Numerous hand posturing behaviors may assist the person on the autism spectrum with self-regulation.

Autism hand posturing may also be used to seek sensory input or express excitement or other emotions. While hand posturing behaviors are not solely indicative of autism, they are a common behavior among those on the spectrum.

Types of autism hand posturing

Several types of hand posturing behaviors can present themselves in individuals with autism. These behaviors can vary between people, and they can change over time. But some autism hand posturing behaviors include:

• Stereotypies
• Flapping
• Flicking
• Wringing
• Repetitive movements
• Self-stimulatory behaviors

It’s important for parents and caregivers to understand these behaviors so they can support their loved ones as they try to manage their hand posturing.

Stereotypies

Hand stereotypies in autism are rhythmic and purposeful movements of the hands. These include clapping, tapping, or rubbing hands together like I am prone to do. These tend to be repetitive and may follow a specific pattern or sequence.

Flapping

This form of autism hand posturing refers to rapid and repetitive movements of the hands and arms up and down, flapping like a bird. Often, this movement sees the fingers extended and the wrist flexed.

Flicking

Flicking is a form of autism hand posturing that involves quick and flicking movements. It can be finger flicking or the entire hand. Often, flicking is done in front of the eyes.

Wringing

Another hand-posturing behavior is hand-wringing. This is when individuals with autism repetitively twist their hands together. It can involve rubbing the palms or interlocking the fingers while twisting the hands.

Repetitive movements

This hand-posturing behavior is self-explanatory as it involves individuals with autism repeating movements with their hands, including tapping, squeezing, or rubbing objects. Repetitive hand movements are often self-soothing or sensory-seeking.

Self-stimulatory behavior

These are hand-posturing behaviors that individuals with autism use to self-regulate. Self-stimulatory behavior often includes a combination of other types of hand posturing, like flapping, flicking, or wringing.

Is hand posturing a form of stimming?

Stimming can be repetitive behaviors that are either physical or vocal. While not everyone who stims is on the autism spectrum, stimming is very common among autistic individuals.

Stimming can often be used to regulate sensory input, as emotional regulation or as a coping mechanism. It can be an important behavior to help children with autism to understand their environment.

Hand posturing in autism serves an important purpose for children who need the stimming behavior. When a child experiences heightened sensory sensitivity, hand posturing behaviors can help them address potential sensory overload or intense emotions and reduce anxiety without triggering a meltdown.

Besides hand posturing, other autism stimming behaviors can include rocking, bouncing, jumping, pacing, walking on tiptoes, hair pulling, and blinking. These repetitive movements can help children with autism make their way through environments that are not sensory-friendly.

What causes autism hand posturing?

Several factors may contribute to individuals with autism using hand posturing behaviors. Parents and caregivers need to recognize the potential causes because it may play a factor in managing autism hand posturing.

Some of the causes include:

Sensory processing issues

Individuals with autism who experience sensory processing issues may turn to hand posturing behaviors as a way to seek sensory input or for self-regulation. Hand posturing can address sensory needs and help prevent future sensory overload.

Communication challenges

Children with autism may struggle with their communication abilities. Hand posturing may serve as an alternative communication form for them. While verbal language may be limited, hand posturing can help them express excitement, frustration, anger, anxiety, or other emotions.

Emotional regulation

Many individuals with autism struggle with emotional regulation, and hand posturing can often be a self-soothing behavior to help regulate those emotions. If the person with autism experiences sensory overload, hand posturing can help provide a sense of comfort and security as they navigate the overwhelming emotions.

Effect of hand posturing on daily life

Hand posturing in autism can negatively affect the person’s gross and fine motor skills. The hand posturing behaviors could contribute to delayed or decreased functional balance and motor milestones. Motor skill deficits caused by hand posturing in autism can interfere with adaptive skills development.

Hand posturing has also been linked to deficits in communication and social skills. While hand posturing in autism can be a way some people communicate, the postures have the potential to be so diverse it leads to communication issues.

Parents and caregivers may misinterpret their loved one’s sensory needs or emotional state due to the type of hand-posturing behaviors they are exhibiting.

Social interactions can also be hampered by hand posturing. Those who are not used to seeing these movements may not know it is a common behavior for this person. That can lead to misunderstandings that make the child appear unusual or out of place to the unfamiliar person.

It’s up to parents and caregivers to help others recognize these hand-posturing behaviors so individuals with autism don’t become stigmatized through these social interactions.

Managing autism hand posturing

Depending on the situation, parents and caregivers may need to help address and manage autism hand posturing. There are various strategies parents can use to help reduce hand-posturing behaviors among their children with autism.

These include:

• sensory integration therapy,
• communication and social skills development,
• occupational therapy,
• and creating a supportive environment.

Sensory integration therapy

Sensory integration therapy addresses sensory processing difficulties and provides crucial sensory input to help reduce hand-posturing behaviors in individuals with autism.

This therapy involves deep pressure and sensory regulatory activities as well as sensory stimulation. Employing these activities can help children with autism navigate their sensory needs and reduce hand posturing.

Communication and social skills development

Autism hand posturing can often be a substitute for a lack of communication abilities and social skills. Promoting communication, speech therapy, social skills training, and visual supports can empower autistic individuals to express themselves without hand-posturing behaviors.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy interventions can also help with addressing hand-posturing behaviors. These therapists can recommend exercises for individuals with autism, including hand and finger exercises, the use of adaptive tools, and visual cues and supports.

Creating a supportive environment

A supportive environment is key in managing autism hand-posturing behaviors. Parents and caregivers can set up a calm and structured environment. It could include designated quiet spaces and further visual supports to help their loved ones feel safe and secure and reduce the frequency of hand posturing.

Support and understanding

Hand posturing in autism can be difficult for the loved ones who may struggle with the behavior. Parents, families, and caregivers need to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of these behaviors and how they can be managed.

Some individuals with autism may need to seek professional help to manage hand posturing. Plus, some therapies and exercises can be practiced at home to assist in reducing the behavior.

Managing autism hand posturing can be a long and arduous process. Still, your loved one can develop important social skills, communication abilities, valuable insights, and sensory regulation tools through how you support them. Together, you can build a wealth of knowledge and tailor interventions to fit your family’s needs.

FAQs

Q: What does posturing look like in autism?

A: Autism hand posturing often features repetitive and stereotypical movements, including finger flicking, hand wringing, and flapping.

Q: What is finger posturing in autism?

A: Finger posturing is similar to hand posturing, except it focuses on the fingers rather than the entire hand. It still involves repetitive movements that serve as a form of stimming.

Q: What is an example of hand posturing?

A: Autism hand posturing features a variety of repetitive hand movements, including flapping, wiggling, wrapping, and tapping.

References:

Li-Chiou Chen, Wan-Chun Su, Tzu-Lin Ho, Lu Lu, Wen-Che Tsai, Yen-Nan Chiu, Suh-Fang Jeng, Postural Control and Interceptive Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Physical Therapy, Volume 99, Issue 9, September 2019, Pages 1231–1241, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzz084.

Mlincek, M. M., Roemer, E. J., Kraemer, C., & Iverson, J. M. (2022). Posture Matters: Object Manipulation During the Transition to Arms-Free Sitting in Infants at Elevated vs. Typical Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, 42(4), 351–365. https://doi.org/10.1080/01942638.2022.2027845

R. Jani Jasmine, Dr. H. Deepa. (2021). Improving Motor Skills Of Autism Affected Children. Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology, 17841–17847. Retrieved from http://annalsofrscb.ro/index.php/journal/article/view/7909

Wilkens SC, Lans J, Bargon CA, Ring D, Chen NC. Hand Posturing Is a Nonverbal Indicator of Catastrophic Thinking for Finger, Hand, or Wrist Injury. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2018 Apr;476(4):706-713. doi: 10.1007/s11999.0000000000000089. PMID: 29480887; PMCID: PMC6260102.