Are all 4-yr-olds a bit Tourettic??

[Prunie]

I know that's not a word.

DS has just started spitting. At people. It happens if he's cross, and a person walks by, he spits.
Twice now he has said, when asked by me why he spat at so-and-so (I know, daft question really) that he has to spit to stop noises coming out.
We have been trying to train him not to blow rasperries, constantly, in public, as it is obviously a bit annoying. This is a whole new development though!
Any thoughts? Even if you can just say 'yeah yeah, what do you expect?'
Ta

[yurt1]

no, I wouldn't say all 4 year olds do that. But I wouldn't necessarily say it was abnormal either. To get a dx of Tourettes you need complex tics present for over a year. It will probably change to something else soon(ish). Ds1's tics are always mutating.

How;s his sensory integration? Perhaps worth a read of the out of synch child (seems to go with quirkiness).

[Prunie]

I don't really know what sensory integration is - can you explain?
He is quite quirky and always has been.
I wasn't thinking of it seriously in terms of a diagnosis - just that this bit of behaviour seems quite 'compulsive' rather than 'naughty' iyswim

[Blandmum]

I would agree with yurt1. It isn't common, per se, but of itself it wouldn't give a dx.

sensory integraion, how he puts to gether information from different senses, is that what you were getting at Yurt1?

[Prunie]

Can you give an example? (Sorry, am dim at this sort of thing)

[Blandmum]

these are the diagnostic criteria in the states (from a quick google)

Diagnostic Criteria
A. Both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics have been present at some time during the illness, although not necessarily concurrently. (A tic is a sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic, stereotyped motor movement or vocalization.)
B. The tics occur many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly every day or intermittently throughout a period of more than 1 year, and during this period there was never a tic-free period of more than 3 consecutive months.
C. The disturbance causes marked distress or significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. The onset is before age 18 years.
E.The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., stimulants) or a general medical condition

[Blandmum]

sensory integration out of synch child link

[Prunie]

From that link MB, "On the other hand, if they are under-responsive to touch sensations, they'll crave touching and being touched. These children will be fingerpainting their arms, stuffing their mouths with too much food, shouting indoors, turning up the volume and bumping and crashing into people and furniture."

THis describes ds VERY well, but not all the time.
I confess I am mildly worried about the compulsive spitting and will keep an eye out. I am sure he's fine, in the throes of yet another phase et, but useful info, ta.

[kimi]

Hi Prunie, I have a child with tourettes, vocal and motion tics.

I would not be too worried if I were you as it is only one thing he is doing, if he keeps doing it or replaces/adds to it then maybe ask your HV or Dr what they think.

My DS started with a flick of the head, saying his hair was in his eyes, even once hair was cut, he then added a click and a squeak to that.
He tics mostly when upset or stressed.

[kimi]

Oh and DS has a massive IQ but the social skills of a dead fish.

[yurt1]

sorry went to watch footy. Um sensory integration- can be very complex but basically how well all your senses are working together. Can change as well over time. It's just my experience that quirky kids often have sensory issues- and these can be helped. The out of synch child is lovely easy book to follow with exercises and it's cheap too. That can sometimes help with the compulsions and general quirkyness. I;d recommend omega 3's as well (perhaps not so much omega 6's but depends on the child).

Ds1 has lots of compulsions. It's a massive issue for him and really gets in the way of his functioning. I haven;t found anything to control them, although if he gets stuck on one then I do force him off (usually by telling hi one last time, then counting down before physically removing him from the vicinity). They do change frequently so the spitting may well be replaced with something more sociable soon!

[Prunie]

But this could be similar to just wanting to wind me up, couldn't it?
I will have to find out if he does it at nursery as well.
He si fairly unsettled atm

[yurt1]

Well it could be, but i can tell the difference between a ds1 wind up (and he is a wind up merchant) and a compulsion quite easily so trust your own judgement. Worth talking to nursery as well definitely. All this sort of stuff does get worse with anxiety as well (which again tends to go with poor sensory integration).