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5 yo ticks? Obsessions?

4 replies

LotsToThinkOf · 19/07/2018 08:28

My 5 yo DS has always had behaviours which seem obsessive or repetitive and it's becoming more noticeable, I'm unsure if it's typical or whether I should be pushing for help with it. I have spoken to the GP before who dismissed my concerns and said all was perfectly typical for his age (4 at the time, obsessive leg movements on the chair caused him to fall off it in front of the dr).

Firstly, he'll develop what to me seems like a tick, it'll happen for a few weeks and then he'll start on something else - the previous one then disappears. So it started with eye blinking, both eyes. He'd squeeze his eyes together now and then, until it became very frequent, about 10 times a minute. It was always on an evening when he was tired. I took him to have his eyes tested which resulted in glasses for close work.

Eventually the eye squeezing faded out and was replaced by a clicking sound with his tongue, he said he always wanted to make 'k' sound so he had to stop himself. He'd do this whilst speaking which affected his speech, again it was worse when speaking. This changed into a strange purring/growling sound which was happening at the same time the clicking used to.

Today it's changed again into raspberry blowing, quiet but still there. He's tired this morning and had been doing it relentlessly. It also appears that he isn't listening as he is so distracted (even in a quiet environment) but when I check he's heard every word. The ticks seem to happen when he tries to speak.

He can't sit still, it's like he's constantly over stimulated but anything I've tried doesn't work. He doesn't have screen time on the tablet or phone, we do allow him to watch the tv but it makes no difference. If he's supposed to sit still he shifts about or sings the same part of a song over and over again. He'll also fall over or off things because he can't seem to concentrate. He's always slept really well, I think he's so exhausted by it all.

He doesn't seem to be causing a concern at school, he talks a lot and lacks concentration in certain group situations but other than that his teacher had no concerns.

This has turned out to be very long, sorry and thank you if you've got to the end. Is this typical behaviour for a 5 yo? Is it something that improves or would you be pushing for the gp to do something?

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 21/07/2018 09:55

I think it would be worth going back to the GP. Is his DF around? If so, get him to come to the appointment with you if you can. It’s a sad fact but in my experience GPS take more notice if Dad is there too. Ask for a referral to a Paeditrician. If this is something more than normal behaviour, you want to know what you are dealing with, and how you can help DS early on Smile

LotsToThinkOf · 24/07/2018 21:38

Thank you for your reply Smile. Yes his DF is around and has noticed it too, I think you're right about that that so I'll take him with us to the drs. I do feel that there's an issue, the other day he had a friend round and he could barely speak for the clicking noise he was making, it's like the more excited he got the more prominent it was and the less he could speak.

OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 24/07/2018 21:54

Let me know how you get on Thanks

Nogodsnomasters · 24/07/2018 22:17

If you want an honest answer, no I don't think this is normal behaviour and I would push with the gp for him to be referred. Do you think he can't help doing it or is he doing it on purpose because he likes it? If it's the first then it could be a type of tourettes, if it's the latter then it could be a self soothing tactic of some sort? Hope that helps.

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