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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WIBU to make a GP appointment for my child?

11 replies

Kirova · 17/05/2025 13:57

My middle daughter (5 years old, in Year 1) has recently developed what I think must be tics - one is sort of jerking her head to the side, the other is a grunting / growling noise in her throat. They are not constant, but more like she gets stuck on them and does it repeatedly for a short period of time.

I read up on it a bit and I wonder if it's been triggered by tiredness or exhaustion. It's that point in the school year, my youngest is a terrible sleeper and tends to disturb us all during the night. I don't think I've had more than 3-4 hours sleep in a night for weeks, so I can certainly identify with feeling knackered!

School also mentioned it, but when I mentioned to her teacher that I've made a GP appointment she acted really disapproving and said they wouldn't recommend that at all, I could make her self-conscious and it's a short-term thing which isn't causing her issues. Now I feel like I'm being super angsty and over-protective, but am I really being unreasonable by taking her to the doctor? I have done some reading and I know it could be nothing, but from my understanding it could also have specific causes.

OP posts:
bridgetreilly · 17/05/2025 14:01

I’d wait and monitor it to see if it eases up, e.g. over half term.

Kirova · 17/05/2025 14:08

Thank you. What do you think is a reasonable time to wait till? This has been going on a few weeks now.

OP posts:
Dreichweather · 17/05/2025 14:10

You can always have an appointment about your child without them or tell your child it’s a check up and say loudly I brought the check up form and give the GP a note explaining your concerns.

Mischance · 17/05/2025 14:14

It is very common indeed for children of around that age to develop tics. My GS kept licking his lips (which made his mouth sore) but his parents quite rightly ignored it as, once the child becomes self-conscious about it, they find themselves doing it all the more. If they saw him doing it they would take steps to distract him without mentioning it.
I agree with the advice to bide your time - going to the GP will simply draw attention to it and make them feel they have something wrong with them.

Kirova · 17/05/2025 17:11

Thank you. Now I feel a bit bad that I've overreacted, it was just that it came out of nowhere. I haven't actually mentioned it to her at all and I have tried to distract her when it happens, but it's very persistent!

OP posts:
raven0007 · 17/05/2025 17:25

I’d have made an appointment too. If it’s happened often enough that both you and school have noticed.

Riggle · 17/05/2025 17:28

We went to the GP with this and they gave a paediatric referral to rule out other causes. I would not take medical advice from a teacher.

Riggle · 17/05/2025 17:34

If you do go to the GP - it’s helpful to have videos of the tics in action. It’s also helpful to keep a note of when they happen and try to identify any triggers.

Kirova · 17/05/2025 17:38

raven0007 · 17/05/2025 17:25

I’d have made an appointment too. If it’s happened often enough that both you and school have noticed.

It's definitely noticeable - especially the grunting noise. I've noticed that the one thing that seems to help it to stop is giving her a drink with a straw (while talking about something else!) but obviously that's not always practical. The teacher said she first noticed it when they were supposed to be "sitting quietly". I would suppose she has a lot of experience with this age group and maybe has seen these things just come and go, which is why she said not to make a fuss and bother with the GP.

OP posts:
Kirova · 17/05/2025 17:52

Riggle · 17/05/2025 17:34

If you do go to the GP - it’s helpful to have videos of the tics in action. It’s also helpful to keep a note of when they happen and try to identify any triggers.

Thanks, this is really helpful! I did think that I could try to subtly get some videos and go to the GP appointment without her...

OP posts:
Soonmummyoftwo · 17/05/2025 18:14

Hey I'm a GP and you could always make a GP appointment without your daughter like someone else mentioned, preferrably with some videos but you can even describe them to the Dr. People come to the GP surgery with all sorts and there's no harm having a chat about it. If it looks/sounds concerning they can do a referral to paediatrics. Hope it all gets sorted for you x

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