Developed collaboratively by some of e-NABLE's top designers, the Raptor Hand is designed with ease of printing and assembly in mind. Features include 3D printed snap pins, a modular tensioning system, and compatibility with both velcro and leather palm enclosures.
Raptor hands (also called raptor arms, meerkat hands, and many other things of this format) are a way of holding one's hands/arms at rest. It's when a person has their arms in a resting position where their elbows are bent.
Raptor hands (or Palpatine hands as I like to say) are anecdotally linked to autistic people. As far as I can tell there have not been any official medical studies done on this, but once again anecdotally it seems to be something that a lot of autistic people do.
About stimming and autism
Stimming might include: hand and finger mannerisms – for example, finger-flicking and hand-flapping. unusual body movements – for example, rocking back and forth while sitting or standing. posturing – for example, holding hands or fingers out at an angle or arching the back while sitting.
Children with ASD have a diminished perception of their body movement and postural orientation; as a result, they often sit, stand, and walk with postural impairment.
By contrast, Rinehart says, children with autism tend to have a wide stance, and their stride length and width vary from step to step. These patterns may explain why some people with autism seem to have an unusual walking style — even if it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what's odd about their movements.
Low muscle tone is commonly seen in children with autism. However, since ASD is a spectrum, their physical presentation can vary drastically from having increased tone which is causing the tip-toe walking, to decreased tone and walking either with flattened feet or compensating by going up onto their tiptoes to walk.
A child at risk for autism might move their hands, fingers, or other body parts in an odd and repetitive manner. Some examples are: arm flapping, stiffening arms and/or legs, and twisting of wrists.
Individuals with autism can also have an aversion to touch. Touch can cause a lack of emotional response or may even cause emotional stress and turmoil. Touch aversion in autism can feel uncomfortable for friends and family who are unfamiliar with this common response.
Staring at hands (or feet) is a normal developmental phase which usually occurs in infancy. This interest in “self” sometimes occurs later or longer among children with CdLS. Staring at the hands is also seen in autism and some children with CdLS have autistic-like habits.
T-Rex arms refer to holding your arms with your elbows and wrists bent, much like the tyrannosaurus-rex might. We use this reference, not to mock ourselves or others, but as an affectionate way to refer to a common trait in our community.
Many autistic people like to bend their arms at about a 90 degree angle with their hands out in front of them. Some may droop their wrists. The autistic community has affectionately dubbed this pose “T-Rex arms.” T-Rex arms are good for many autistic people.
Dinosaur hands is a term used to describe the feeling of having stiff, curled-up hands when you wake up. This can happen to anyone, even kids with special needs or adults with autism. Often, it's caused by sleeping in an awkward position that puts pressure on the nerves in your hands.
The word raptor comes from the Latin rapere, which mean to seize or plunder — an apt way to describe birds that swoop down on their prey. Idaho has 31 species of raptors: 17 species of diurnal raptors (hawks, eagles, and falcons) and 14 species of nocturnal raptors (owls).
The word “raptor” means “to seize or grasp” in Latin. Raptors use their powerful, sharp talons to capture their prey and to defend themselves. Several bird species are considered raptors. Eagles, hawks, kites, falcons, and owls are all considered raptors.
Children with ASD often need a hug, just like other children. Sometimes they need this much more than other children. But some children don't like to be touched. Respect their personal space.
While many children with autism feel averse to hugging, some children with autism like to be hugged. Some children can swing the opposite way and want so many hugs that they feel hug deprived when they aren't getting enough.
Some children with autism smile to show they're happy but don't share their enjoyment. Others show little facial expression or have flat affect and rarely smile so you may not know when they're happy.
It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a "cure".
People with autism sometimes may have physical symptoms, including digestive problems such as constipation and sleep problems. Children may have poor coordination of the large muscles used for running and climbing, or the smaller muscles of the hand. About a third of people with autism also have seizures.
Savants with autism typically show amazing skill within one or more general ability domains. Mathematical, artistic, musical, spatial and mechanical abilities are most common. Most savants have a single skills but some have been reported to have more than one.