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Original poster

7 month old doing weird eye squeezing - really worried

82 replies

celandine · 29/02/2004 18:18

For the past few weeks I've noticed my ds has been squinting - squeezing his eyes closed for a few seconds and then opening them again. I don't know if this is what's known as 'squinting' but that's what we call it. Sometimes it's a fluttery kind of blink, sometimes a tight one. He'll do it a few times for a while then stop. He's just been doing it again now and it's got me and DH quite concerned that there's something wrong with his sight, or maybe that he's developing a nervous reaction of some kind. Also, we've taken a fair few photos of him in the past with flash and I've noticed him squeezing his eyes closed then (can't blame him there) so we're also thinking perhaps it's a result of using too much flash...?

Please has anyone any experience of this or suggestions of why he might be doing it? Is it just a developmental thing? I'm thinking of taking him to see the health visitor tomorrow cos I'm really quite concerned.
Thanks, worry worry worry.....

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colette · 29/02/2004 19:00

I don't know if this is a similar thing but my 7mnth old ds does some strange things with his eyes. He pulls a wierd face and looks upwards ,then closes them. It is hard to describe but it looks really strange. I have been thinking it is just a develpmental stage - as if he is flexing new muscles. hth . If it is worrying you take him.
Good Luck

twiglett · 29/02/2004 19:31

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Original poster
celandine · 29/02/2004 20:22

Thanks, I know I'm being a worrywart but it just looks so weird when he does it. I'm sure it is a developmental thing but it seems to have dragged on for a few weeks and getting worse... I might take him to clinic this week to get it checked.

OP posts:
Original poster
celandine · 29/02/2004 20:23

Oh, and no problems reaching for toys. He's brilliant at focusing on and picking up even the the smallest things on the carpet!

OP posts:
Janh · 29/02/2004 20:30

Try doing it back at him and see if he copies you, as if it's a game? (Combine it with a false cough and he'll probably do that too!)

All of mine went through a screwing-up-eyes stage. (Screwing up whole face in fact.)

I'm pretty sure that'll be all it is but yes, have his eyes checked out for your own peace of mind.

Evita · 29/02/2004 20:34

There's a thread about this a few down. Can't remember what it's called but it's got a similar title. You might want to check it out? But basically I think it seems to be one of those weird experimental things they just do.

AussieSim · 01/03/2004 12:25

Mine did it too for a little while at about that age - just getting a different perspective on his surroundings. Apparently he will probably later experiment with covering his ears too - don't worry.

fisil · 01/03/2004 20:53

Evita, I think it might have been my thread. The title was something like "funny turns in a seven month old." We happened to catch it on film, so we took the video to the doctor. She had a look, asked us to keep a diary - and then he only did it twice more! Hope the same happen for you.

momofoneofeach · 12/12/2019 16:49

Did anything ever come of this? My 7 month old daughter just started doing something very similar. It’s as if she is blinking hard and making a weird face and lasts for about 10 seconds and stops. I’ve been a wreck as we brought her to her pediatrician and they have referred her to a pediatric neurologist. They said it could be absolutely nothing but better to have checked.

DadofLeo · 21/01/2020 11:33

Mumofoneeach, I'm just wondering what the neurologist said to you that you were referred to? My wee 14 month old has been doing something similar past few days, he's had a really bad cold and we're not sure if it's to do with that, we told doctor about it but she didn't seem too concerned. We now have a video of him doing it so we're going to show it to the Doctor, he tenses his eyes closed at random times and sometimes it looks like his mouth tenses also. He doesn't seem bothered by it but it's so strange. So worried! Hope everything went ok for you at neurologist

ColleenGS · 26/02/2020 02:16

Hi @momofoneofeach! How was this resolved for your little one? My 8 month old was referred to neurology for the same issue. I’m so scared...

momofoneofeach · 26/02/2020 11:37

@DadofLeo and @ColleenGS we ended up going to the neurologist who did a work up and recommended to start with an EEG. He said if things were normal following that he wanted her to be seen by a pediatric ophthalmologist. EEG was normal so we went for the ophthalmologist exam. That exam was also normal. Then magically in the process she stopped doing it. The neurologist left it as being something behavioral vs there being any real issue. THANK GOD! As parents we can’t help but worry but just remember babies will tend to do odd things as they continue to discover things they can do. It definitely doesn’t hurt to have the work up, however, just to make sure but they could also do what my daughter did and just stop and move on to the next quirky thing. Best wishes to you both!

ColleenGS · 26/02/2020 12:06

Oh THANK you for the update. My son was referred to neurology at his pediatric visit yesterday. Would you mind if I pm you to share the video of what I caught my 7 month old doing?

Rena520 · 05/04/2020 06:51

Did your baby ever stop? My 7 month old is doing this now.

GeoPau · 22/05/2020 11:49

Hi, my 7 month old is doing something similar to all of this and I’m beginning to really worry. Does anyone have any idea what it would be. I took video and it looks like he’s having a twitch of some kind for a few seconds. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Ocso27 · 30/05/2020 02:35

My 9 month old just got back from her 24 hour EEG due to the eyes...i have video of hers, can anyone send me video of their little ones? The doctors don't know what's going on and we have to sedate her to get an MRI.

Jodiepope91 · 10/06/2020 22:06

Hi I’m new to this so I apologise if I sounds silly. Would someone mind sending a video of their baby doing this. My 9 month old daughter has been unwell the past 4 days and she has started doing this with her eyes and just wondered if it was similar to what your babies have been doing.

Ocso27 · 10/06/2020 23:49

I want to update this post. My 9 month old had an MRI and everything came back completely normal and no abnormalities found. The neurologist thinks it was just a developmental stage and there will be no follow up needed. Sucks she had to go through all of this, but thankful we have our answers!

Hconnelly3 · 23/06/2020 00:38

I came across these posts and they gave me some hope. I’ve been on pins and needles this past week with my 7mo daughter making chewing motions and squinting her eyes. Her pediatrician recommended we take her to the ER to be safe. We did. She then had a video consult with a pediatric neurologist on Friday and was fitted with an EEG cap on Saturday. She was asked to wear it for 72 hours. I’m hoping this can all be attributed to my child just being weird. This waiting is brutal.

Rena520 · 23/06/2020 18:33

My 7month old, now 10 months old was squinting her eyes and making jerk like movements. She would stop for weeks at a time and then start again, and still does it periodically. She had an EGG with video back in April, and it came back normal. It was examined by 2 different neurologists. Her Pediatrician also examined her and nothing abnormal there. She now has 8 teeth that all popped out between month 9-10, so we believe she was just teething. Babies are weird...

MaroLavelle · 13/07/2020 21:12

My 6.5 month old boy does this on and off too ! He does seem to be teething badly though and I wondered was it that ???

Hconnelly3 · 14/07/2020 02:30

Update: EEG results were completely normal. There were no abnormalities whatsoever. We were beyond relieved to say the least. This was chalked up to babies being weird and developmental quirks. It seems to have gone away almost as quickly as it came. Only a few very minor squints in the past 2 weeks. My baby hasn’t any teeth yet but have to assume it’s somehow related.

I hope your son’s teeth come in soon and you’re able to cross this worry off the list. Sounds like this is more common than we all realized!

crazymumlady · 31/07/2020 19:41

Hiya @colette

I hope you see this, my son is doing the same what happened with your son.? Did he grow out of it? I'm terrified to go to doctors 1, with whats going on now (who would of thought it) and 2, incase its really serious

Thank you!

Have a nice day stay and safe

Colette · 31/07/2020 20:16

Hi crazy mum lady, yes he grew out of it. He’s now 17 Grin different worries.. he also had a phase Of turning his eyelids inside out aged about 2 just because he could !Shock If you are worried is there a health visitor you could phone ?

crazymumlady · 02/08/2020 06:43

OK thank you for getting back to me
I think he does on purpose as he seems to do it when he wants my attention and sometimes forgets to roll his eyes upwards. He gets really annoyed with me and tenses his body as well so hopefully he grows out of that as well.
I hope he doesn't do the eyelid thing! I've been around little girls (lived with) and they don't do crazy thing like this lol
Oh I don't even want to think about that age! I wish he could stay this age forever... all cute and cuddly

Thank you for getting back to me

Stay safe! :)