Tis The Tism

Change can be exciting and still hard. Kids do best when we lay the foundation with clear language, hints over time, and space to adjust. We talked about the change in advance, so today’s new car brought curiosity instead of overwhelm. Next, I’ll share their reactions as they explore at their own pace.

Hand flapping is a form of stimming, or self-stimulatory movement, and it can hold many different meanings depending on the person and the moment. For some, it shows excitement and joy. For others, it can help with regulation, processing emotions, releasing energy, focusing, or communicating feelings that are hard to put into words.
Stims are often part of how autistic individuals experience and respond to the world around them. Sometimes happiness is so big, it moves through the whole body.
For Azriel, flapping is often a sign of pure joy.
What are your — or your child’s — signs of pure joy?