8yr old tic habit - should I be worried?

[hellswelshy]

My 8 yr old dd (who is a twin, just as an aside) has a facial tic at the moment - she opens her mouth very wide kind of like when you're trying to pop your ears if that makes sense.About two years ago she had an eye rolling tic which we had investigated as the GP wanted to rule out seizures. All results came back fine thankfully and soon after the last hospital appointment the tic just disappeared!
Has anyone had any had any experience of this or any advice to offer? I'm swinging between ignoring it and getting frustrated with her - I know this is unhelpful

[Buzzardbird]

My DD tics, started at about 7/8 yrs old. They are worse when she is stressed or tired. I am watching this thread with interest as I assumed it was something she would just grow out of. Hers change from one thing to another.

[hellswelshy]

Yes Buzzardbird she definitely does it more frequently when tired or anxious, she's the more anxious one of the two of them, but also I hate to say it can be a bit of a hypochondriac of sorts! Not a day goes by without an ache or pain of some sort...

[Buzzardbird]

If that is the case, I would get her checked out.

After a little research after reading your post I have decided to take DD to GP as hers have been going on for a few years now.

[thunderpunt]

From experience tics can be something - or they can be nothing (how bloody helpful!)
My cousin tics - he has Tourette's syndrome and his tics are part of that (he doesn't do the swearing that most assume is associated with Tourette's)
My sons friend tics, he suffers with ADD, and they manifest more when he is excited, nervous or tired
Finally my nephew tics - and they have changed over the years, currently an eye tic. He is healthy and been checked out and can find no reason for them - it's just one of his lovely quirks although ex-SIL would have you believe he has all sorts of conditions but that's a whole other thread

[hellswelshy]

Thanks for the replies. I think I've read the same - sometimes an indicator of something more serious, sometimes a quirk! I'm inclined to think its a quirk but maybe I will have a chat with our GP just for another opinion.

[HermioneWeasley]

DS has tic syndrome. Eventually saw a child psychologist who was brilliant and helped him to get them under his control. He'd had them a few years, but they were starting to frustrate him hence why we went to GP initially. His come and go in phases - both the tics themselves and the intensity change.

Please don't get frustrated with your DD, she really can't help it any more than you can help blinking. The basis is currently thought to be neurological, with an imbalance of dopamine causing the tic urge, which then gets reinforced.

[DollyTwat]

My ds1 had them at that age, as did quite a few of his friends, and I took him to a specialist. They prescribed some strong tablets anti phsycotic I think, which worked, but made him feel very odd

He's 14 now and only gets them when he's very tired, but has grown out of them mostly

If you speak to the teacher they'll tell you how common it is, so not necessarily anything to worry about

[pasanda]

My ds has had 'chronic tics' since he was 4. They said they would be at their worst at aged 11 and he would hopefully grow out of them by late adolescence. They were bad at 11 but he still gets them now aged 15. They do 'wax and wane' though so it's nice when he is going through a 'wane' period!

DO NOT get frustrated with her. This is the worst thing you can do. She cannot help it.

She has been checked out. It is most very much likely nothing serious.

[Thornrose]

My 16 yo dd has had tics over the years but has AS. I did look at Tourette's but the criteria is quite specific and she didn't fit.

In my experience if you try to stop a tic the next one might be worse! Your frustration is totally understandable but the less reaction the better. Imagine if someone said you couldn't yawn or sneeze?

Have you sought any support for her anxiety as that is usually the driver? Do the tics distress her? Dd's tics were really bad between 8 and 10 yo then they subsided massively.

[hellswelshy]

Thanks everyone for replying, some interesting points made. When do you think a habit becomes a tic just out of interest? She has previously got a mildly upset about her ‘habit‘ as we've named it but I have reassured her that its nothing to worry about as I don't want to project any concerns I may have.

[Cathaka15]

My sons tics started around age 7. They were very slight at first. A shrug of the shoulder and eye twitching. Then one day he just let out this big squeele. He was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome. He's 15 now and has numerous tics but they really don't bother him too much. I think if it was a habit the person would be able to control it or stop it over time. A person with a tic is like having an itch. You just have to itch it or it will drive you mad. If my son stops his tics they come out later on with a vengeance. It's better just to leave the tic alone. Let the person get on with it and not make too much fuss. If it gets really bad and they can't cope then a visit to the doc is advisable. They have coping strategies and if it's really bad some meds they can try. Also I've realised we actually notice it more than others. When my sons tics first started to get bad they were so exaggerated. But no one had noticed them. I mentioned it to his tennis coach at school one day. He said he hadn't noticed a thing.