DS constantly sniffing fingers

[belle2b]

My 7yr old DS started developing some nervous habits around a year ago. It started as twitching his shoulders but progressed to pulling at his waistband - he says that sometimes in bed he has to do it “a thousand times”. He also clears his throat and it happens more if he watching the iPad or tv. This drives me & my DH crazy as sometimes he does it constantly - I thought there was something wrong with his throat (there isn’t) but he says he “needs” to do it. To add to things, recently he has started smelling his fingers and again it’s compulsive and he needs to do it. I worry about this one in case he’s doing it at school.

I’ve read that these are things he’ll grow out of but I’m wondering if there is anything I should/could be doing or signs I should be looking for? He’s a sensitive boy but I don’t consider him to be anxious.

Have you asked his Teacher if he's doing these things in School and if it's affecting him socially?

Do you think it could be OCD or Tourette's Syndrome?

I’m starting to think it’s Tourette’s. We have parents night soon so we will ask the teacher then.

Is there any opportunity to raise it before then? I'd be wary of raising it at Parents evening. The Teacher will often have limited time and if it's in person other Parents or Children might overhear.

good point - I’ll get in touch with the school this week. We did ask the teacher previously and she hadn’t noticed anything. However it’s a big class and since he’s developing new habits now I’m more concerned…not sure there is much we can do but worth finding out. Thank you.

You could talk to the School Nurse too and ask the Teacher if SENCO could observe him?

Hi, have you figured it out with your son, my son is 5 and is doing the exact same thing and I asked him why do you do it and he says his brain tells him too and I said what does your brain say and he said it says do it 1000 times, he does the coughing throat thing when watching YouTube or eating food, I'm going to ask his teacher also as it started in around November time

We checked with a doctor who checked with a few different specialists and ultimately they assured us that it’s nothing physiological and that he’ll grow out of it.
His compulsive habits change - he was clearing his throat all the time, which seems to have stopped now but instead he’s started sniffing.
he was really bad with multiple habits before he finished school for the summer - once the holidays started they all disappeared! Once he started back in August they all came on again, but have settled over the last couple of months.
I worried that it anxiety and something up at school but we’ve been mindful of that and check in but there’s nothing specific we can see that triggers it. Screen time is defo a trigger though. But even at story time when he’s at his most relaxed he can sit there and fidget with one habit or another. So it really difficult understanding the ‘cause’.
I do know that it’s common for boys between 6-10 and generally they grow out of it. Obviously as parents we worry about everything but I think best not to worry too much, try seeing if there are specific triggers and offer him fidget toys (which I do)…and take comfort that it’s not physiological or any concerning condition.