It's sad, sometimes ...

[Aunt Sponge]

My oldest son doesn't "get" what a hug is.
He gets excited and happy and enjoys things - sure, he's a happy child. He understand emotions and so forth but physical contact is null.

I don't think I've gotten a real hug from him in who knows how long When he comes home from school or just anytime I go to hug him he just stands there awkwardly and maybe he'll pat me on the back.
He just doesn't know what to do and if he does the normal motions of a hug you can tell he doesn't "feel" it, it's a bit "robotic" (for lack of a better descrition)

It's just sad sometimes

[Honeybee]

I'm so sorry!
I'm not sure what can help. Can he watch a scene on tv or something and understand what emotion the people are feeling? What if you made a slideshow or some clips of people hugging and show their emotion, it may help him relate.

[Aunt Sponge]

Yeah, we've tried endlessly to make connections with more traditional "hug" type situations.
Sometimes he DOES get it - but, for him, it seems that a genuine hug is only connected with extreme excitement - like when we see his Aunts and Uncles after a year. There's an extra emotional trigger and connection that goes along with that type of situation that he actually hugs genuinely but that's about it.

And I never get those hugs

However, he's made so many other improvements and connections in other areas I can't be totally bummed

[Honeybee]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sponge Yeah, we've tried endlessly to make connections with more traditional "hug" type situations. Sometimes he DOES get it - but, for him, it seems that a genuine hug is only connected with extreme excitement - like when we see his Aunts and Uncles after a year. There's an extra emotional trigger and connection that goes along with that type of situation that he actually hugs genuinely but that's about it. And I never get those hugs However, he's made so many other improvements and connections in other areas I can't be totally bummed

I see what you're saying... maybe if you act really excited about having him home or something, you may get the excited hug?

I hope it gets better. I'm glad he's made a lot of other improvements!!!! That's awesome!!!!!!!