Mumsnetters aren't necessarily qualified to help if your child is unwell. If you need professional help, please contact your GP or local mental health support services.
Mumsnetters aren't necessarily qualified to help if your child is unwell. If you need professional help, please contact your GP or local mental health support services.
Child mental health
Facial tics - 7 year old
LittleMissOverthinker · 16/09/2020 20:34
My 7 year old son has started with really obvious facial tics. I can only describe it as a cross between gurning and wincing in pain. It happens every minute/couple of minutes. I asked him if he knew he was doing it or if it just happened....he said he was doing it because “it’s like I NEED to do it”
Is this a normal phase or should I be worried?
DoAsYouWouldBeMumBy · 16/09/2020 22:36
My DS has this too - when you read up about it, you find that the tics often go away with puberty. DS (13) is just starting puberty and they do seem to have gone for the moment. I just tried to ignore them and if they were bothering him, give him a cuddle and a bit of sympathy. I believe you can access some treatment through your GP but that they often clear up anyway.
My DH has borderline autism and some other spectrum conditions - I guess it's linked to that but I don't know. DS is not autistic but is borderline dyspraxic.
Hope your DS doesn't suffer too much 
pattam · 04/10/2020 22:08
The advice is to ignore them if your child is not currently affected by them. If that changes then obviously get in touch with GP/CAMHS although 7 is quite young, I’m not sure they would offer much at that age.
Bayleaf25 · 05/10/2020 21:52
My DS (now17) had various tics from about the age of 7. Sometimes they were really obvious, sometimes not so much, sometimes they’d go away for months. I almost hadn’t noticed anything for a long time but recently he’s been making a funny clicking sound - he’s kind of aware of it now he’s older but can’t control it.
In many ways they’ve always been quite mild and always gone away so it’s something he’s just lived with, mostly people don’t seem to notice (although sometimes close friends or family members have commented).
I think they’ve definitely got less with age.
Mindblank · 09/10/2020 14:39
My DD (7) has just started doing something similar with her eyes - we call them “big blinks”. They seem to be much worse when she’s tired.
Yolande7 · 08/02/2021 00:58
There is a chance they have Tourette's. It is much more common than people think.
Saz3737 · 08/02/2021 01:05
My son 7 has many tics over the last 2 years from blinking, noises and spasms they do go away eventually and you are meant to ignore. I gave cuddles if I felt he needed one an always spoke to him about anything worrying him etc....
Mamamia35 · 01/03/2021 22:15
We have had this too over the years. Try magnesium baths. If you Google magnesium and tics you will find some useful advice. You can buy a large 5kg tub of magnesium on Amazon and do it regularly for a couple of months. I'm sure you'll notice a difference.
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