Sudden onset of squinting tic in 7 year old DS - can I do anything to nip it in the bud..?

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Just that really! DS is something of a worrier so I guess I'm not hugely surprised to notice a tic develop. But it has come on so fast and I can't think of anything that could have sparked it. Is there anything I can do to stop it settling in, IYKWIM?

I have no experience but I would take him to an optometrist if I were you. I can recommend an excellent one if you are in Hants. Free on the nhs

Thanks for the suggestion, RottenLuck. He has glasses so does have regular eye tests anyway, and the last one was only a couple of months ago. This seems very much of the nervy variety tho...a facial tic rather than an eye thing IYKWIM. Will keep an eye and see tho.

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My DS (8) has just developed a facial tic. He has just started a new school, and while I think he likes it, he finds change very stressful and is a bit of a worrier. It is very alarming but I am trying my best to ignore it and give him plenty of calm time. It is worse when he is tired.

He has had a mild tic in the past (more of a noise, like throat clearing) at times when he has been anxious, and it has gone after a while. This one is much more noticeable and tbh I'm v worried about it, but trying to just ignore it.

Sorry I'm no expert but I don't think it's uncommon and I think it's probably best to ignore it for now.

I would think about having him checked by the dr. My DD2 developed what I thought was a muscles spasm round her mouth - in fact at first I thought she was pulling faces at me! When it continued and I realised it was not somthing she was doing consciously we ended up at the hospital (I was thinking a virus aggrevating facial nerves) and it turned out they were epilipetic seizures. She's since been diagnosed with early childhood epilepsy. Whilst I do not want to be alarmist at all I would say when it is something which has developed suddenly that it might be better to check with the dr. DD had 2 EEGs - first was clear but 'tics' were still ongoing. Second EEG whilst she slept idicated epilepsy and it was then confirmed by MRI. DD is now often clear of the 'tics' which are actually individual seizures (focal motor seizures) but it is worse when she is ill or coming down with something.

A behavioural optometrist (usually available on NHS) would be a good place to start, just in case he is having problems with visual tracking, or convergence that is causing it. Their assessments are different to an opticians. They aren't looking at eyesight but at the overall vision. DS1 had a problem with tracking that hadn;t come up at eye tests but that an optometrist found.