Toddler constantly rubbing eyes, nose and head

[Imo1]

Hi

I'm hoping someone else can give me some thoughts/ideas on this. My son is nearly 3. Over the last 10 days he's started rubbing his hands over his eyes, head and nose. It's got to the point that at certain times of the day he stops what he's doing to have a good rub. He has no rash, no known allergies and isn't making his eyes red at all. He's not complaining about it and seems his normal self in all other ways.

I went to the pharmacy at the weekend and they said it could be hayfever, I gave him some antihistamines which I'm not sure helped much/at all. Can't get into the doctors until tomorrow.

I'm wondering if it's a nervous thing he's developed or if something else is bothering him. I'm 5 months pregnant and not sure if he could be picking up on something to do with that. We have fully involved him in the pregnancy and we're making sure he doesn't feel excluded in any conversations about it etc.

Any help greatly appreciated!

My initial thought was that it might be a tic. My DS, nearly 4, had developed a few recently, including rubbing his nose incessantly (and clothes tugging and picking at his nails). Tics are very common (I believe up to 15% of children have them at some point) and nothing to worry about as such.

Hope the GP is helpful x

Thanks mrsbaffled - he did have a stammer for a while which went away as fast as it came so perhaps it's a similar thing.

Could well be. See what the doc says, though.
i suppose it could be itchy skin too - have you changed washing powder? Also when the central heating goes on the air dries out and so does the skin...you try some emollient cream like diprobase or E45 (not aqueous cream) as see if that helps?

I've been through all that in my head, no new washing powder, face wash etc....I've been using Aveeno oil in the bath and lotion after. Will see what the Dr says tomorow.

any update on what happened?

my toddler is experiencing the same thing now

@jen3983498 my 2 year old is doing the same thing. Did you get to the bottom of it?? Thanks.

It gradually went away over maybe a month or two - it seems to be some sort of relatively benign motor tic

He’s now kind of OCD so perhaps you could be on the lookout for that in the future...the joys of parenting :)

Thank you!!! Hmmm will look out for that! Thanks for responding :)

yeah, he had a few other instances of these "tics" over the past year or two, but each gradually resolved within a month or two - I suspect stress (from daycare?) brought them on

Ahhh well he's recently had a new sibling AND restarted nursery post lockdown so lots going on in his little life, poor chap! That makes sense. Thanks very much.