DS(6) has developed a nervous sniff - WWYD

[Grockle]

Over the past year, DS (almost 7) has begun sniffing. It started as an occasional thing but since his return from almost 3 weeks with his Dad, he's doing it ALL the time, sometimes between each breath. I don't know how he's actually managing to breathe properly. It's really loud and sounds unpleasant.

I'm torn between ignoring it in the hope that it'll go away (but it's got worse over the year) and telling him to stop (it's not nice for other people to hear and his friend has already commented on it - it won't go down well at school). I've tried various things - asking him outright to stop, gently tapping him to make him aware he's doing it without drawing attention to it, tapping my nose etc as well as shouting when I lose my patience

I really don't know what to do to help him. He claims he doesn't know why he does it (which is probably true) so I'm at a loss. Any suggestions?

My nephew developed a sniff/ cough thing a few years back which was eventually diagnosed as mild Tourette's , worth looking into but would take professional advice on this.
He is very smart, slightly geeky but it as calmed down.

Is there anything that has unsettled him? My DS aged 5 did a little humming thing for a while last year but we had just had a new baby and moved house a week after. We ignored it and it went away when he settled down a bit.

Agree about getting the professional advice.
It could be a habit.Has he had any habits before?

Hmm - he's always unsettled by staying with his Dad. Maybe I should get it checked out. I don't want to make an issue out of it if it's not a problem but I don't want to ignore it if it's the start of something more serious or concerning. Thank you for responding

Other habits - he used to bite his nails & sucks his thumb now when very tired and chews his clothes (to the point of shredding them) but not otherwise.

Oh, he also has a few odd traits that I also have e.g. must put something back EXACTLY where it came from. If I pick something up in the supermarket and decide I don't want it, it can't just go back in the same general area but in the exact place we picked it up from. Perhaps we're both a little odd. DP thinks I have OCD and he might be right

I should look into everything on here.
I can only talk about the habits.One of my sons,had habits all through his childhood and into late teens.None of them alarming,but irritating to have to watch.We would stop him in one,all would appear quiet,then we would realise he had actually developed another one.Most of the time,we had to point them out,for him to notice them.
He isnt any of the above options,just habits.

my dd developed a habit cough, well not really a cough, more clearing her throat -ALL THE TIME

I tried everything -ignoring, reminding, telling off, rewards for not doing it

and then I took her to the docs for an ear infection and it turns out she has quite a few low level allergies, nothing that causes any symptoms other than a rather annoying cough....

just a thought

and I'm not trying to be flippant because believe me I worried about it being a habitual thing for months, just saying don't rule out a physical cause

Hi Grockle. What you're describing sounds like a tic. They're quite common in kids between 3 and 10. I think the medical term is transient tic disorder. By all means see a GP for reassurance but they would most likely tell you the same and to come back if it doesn't clear of its own accord which can be a few weeks to months.

Hth

Oh and don't draw attention to it. Ignore ignore ignore

I go through periods where I do this when I'm feeling stressed. I find the more aware I am that I'm doing it, the more I do it, as I feel stressed and embarrassed by it! (I mention this as he may actually do it more if you draw attention to it). I find that rescue remedy really helps me. I was really bad at one point and taking rescue remedy stopped it completely. I don't know if it's psychological or if it really does something, but it works for me.

Thank you all - it's been MUCH better today. I think it just escalated to a ridiculous point when he was away because he was stressed. He's still doing it but it's not annoying me as much so bad. Thinking about it, before this he did the constant through clearing thing which morphed into constant coughing and then into a weird snorty noise. He's a lot like a little piglet actually. I will continue to keep quiet and hope it stops & doesn't change into something more bothersome.