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Original poster

Ds 11 has a tic, can anyone help?

74 replies

ShootingStarsss · 28/03/2013 22:56

As the title says ds who is 11 has a tic.
It's been going in a few months now, when he first was doing it I didn't realise it was a tic & would ask him to stop, which obviously now I know he can't.
It is a clearing the throat and a sort of cluck he also twitches & blinks his eyes a lot.

He has said when he tried not to do it it makes home feel "ill" his words and he gets a dry throat.

It is defiantly affecting him more at school & he is very aware of it now, he hates assembly cause he said he can't stop doing it and it can be quiet in assembly.

Is it time to go to the doctors? Is there anything we can do to help?

I know nothing about tics apart from bits I have googled.

OP posts:
BeaWheesht · 28/03/2013 23:04

Take him to see Gp and watch children with Tourette's on itv player - it was on tonight just before you posted.

Poor boy Hmm

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 28/03/2013 23:07

I watched that, very interesting and also Hmm
Is every tic down to Tourette's then?
This program is what has promoted my thread!
Although on the program I didn't hear anyone say how the boys tics started, I wasn't sure if Tourette's can start with a small tic and move on to more different tics?

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PhyllisDoris · 28/03/2013 23:15

Shooting, I would also see GP. it does sound like it might be the onset of Tourette's. I really hope not though. X

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 28/03/2013 23:19

Thanks Phyllis Hmm
Hopefully someone who has a child with Tourette's will see my thread and help with explaining some things.
I will take him to the Gp in the holidays.

By the way it's not a loud tic as such we hear it cause we know he does it, teacher doesn't seem to have picked up on it.

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MrsSham · 28/03/2013 23:34

A little boy on the program described exactly what you said in your OP.

kissmyheathenass · 28/03/2013 23:37

Ds had a tic when he was 11. Gp said it was a transitional tic and would disappear. It did. Its not necessarily tourettes.

Gruntfuttocks · 28/03/2013 23:40

Agreed, tics can come and go, don't assume the worst. Is he particularly stressed or anxious about anything at the moment? That's the commonest cause..

Coconutty · 28/03/2013 23:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PhyllisDoris · 28/03/2013 23:47

My DD went through a phase of pulling her eye lashes out. Her eyes looked really weird. She grew out of it, thank goodness!

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 28/03/2013 23:49

Did he mrssham which one? I must have missed that bit, is that how his tic started?
He is not stressed or anxious I have spoken to him at length, he is a particular worrier and is a very happy child.
Glad to hear it could just be a tic and not lead to Tourette's it started with his eye blinking and twitching which I just thought the eye blinking was nothing to worry about but last few months has been a constant throat clearing and only what I can describe as a "cluck"

He is fully aware of it now & tells me it is driving him mad but he just can't stop doing it.

I asked him how he felt if he didn't do it to which he said "ill" Hmm

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Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 28/03/2013 23:50

Thank you for all your messages they are reassuring me Smile

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DollyTwat · 28/03/2013 23:51

My ds1 has had a variety of facial tics for about 2 years now. We've been to see specialists and they didn't say it was Tourette's
We've had eye rolling, shrugging, blinking, mouth stretching, sometimes he has more than one. They come and go.

He was prescribed some strong anti psychotic drugs which he tried for a week. They worked but made him feel awful. He had no idea that they had worked btw. I had to tell him

Not sure what to advise you. It's pretty common I think. Ds seems worse after he sees his dad as it gets stressful, in fact when he hasn't seen him for a few months the tics go away

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 28/03/2013 23:55

Thank you dolly, does your ds still have any tics at the moment?
Ds isn't stressed he has a stable life, loves school, great friends, he is a sensitive child and very laid back....
Will see gp as ds is expressing it is driving him mad now so he is more aware of it and think defiantly more aware of it at school now.

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DollyTwat · 29/03/2013 00:04

Yes he is eye rolling
He sat and watched that programme tonight and I asked if he could control it. He says yes, but he's doing it sub consciously I know. He says the ones where he makes a noise are soothing

Thing is he hates me mentioning them. Says I make it worse and gets cross. I think his friends are just used to it now, but I'm scared about secondary school tbh. Kids can be very cruel can't they?

I am always cross that whatever happens at his dads sets it off

Can you see any patterns? Any triggers?

AgentZigzag · 29/03/2013 00:07

At the risk of feeling as though I'm suggesting it's OCD Grin I've had OCD since I was small and I've done the eye rolling, blinking, mouth stretching, and a 'cluck' which I would describe as (and it's difficult Grin) as breathing out quickly but letting the back of your throat hit the roof of your mouth.

My parents were very understanding of it, which I'm eternally grateful for judging on how other cruel some family members can be when they decide to draw attention to it loudly in front of other people.

Mine were because of the anxiety the OCD made me feel, and 12 YO DD1 has had a hand shaking (as in like shaking water off her hands rather than a trembling) one on and off for quite a few years.

She found me pointing out when she doing it helped, but I did it in a completely unjudgemental way of just saying 'hands' and smiling (rather than getting on at her in the same way DHs parents would when he bit his nails), and she'd laugh and stop doing it. But it's gone in phases for sure, and she's not shown any leanings towards having tourettes.

I know I said I didn't want to suggest it was OCD, but the 'ill' bit of how it makes your DS feel is very familiar, it's like having the feeling of restless legs (like an overload of concentrated energy) but all over your body.

Very physical and something that's difficult to ignore.

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 29/03/2013 00:15

Thanks dolly, there is no pattern he can't control it, he can't stop it & he does it all day long (the throat clearing) clucking, the blinking twitching I see it happens more frequent when he is tired but he does it when not tired just not as frequent as when he is.
There doesn't seen to be a trigger it's just constant throat clearing.

Agent - thank you OCD is a different take on it, It could be this I suppose I will have to ask the gp.

It has got worse over the last few months and more constant than it was, when he first started it was on & off and less frequent but this is now constant.

I just feel sorry for him because he is obviously now very aware of it & it's annoying him but he can't control it.

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Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 29/03/2013 00:16

Dolly I am also very worried about secondary school as I feel ds might worry about it more and this may make it worse Hmm

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thornrose · 29/03/2013 00:27

My dd has had a variety of tics, throat clearing, sniffing, all manner of funny little sounds and mannerisms, she even did it in her sleep! I feared Tourette's but it was anxiety and a form of OCD (she has AS)
Dd is now 13 and very occasionally she will tic but very few and far between now.

AgentZigzag · 29/03/2013 00:28

Is it just the tics or are there other things he does that are maybe 'unusual'?

AgentZigzag · 29/03/2013 00:29

And I'm only asking out of interest rather than playing 'guess the diagnosis' Grin

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 29/03/2013 00:44

Will try my best to describe ds and little things I can think if other than the tics (just reminded me he also does the sniffing)

He has "hyperactive" moments a lot
He is confident but gentle not a boisterous boy.
He "hates" loud noises always has, hates shouting or hoovers.
He is a character, very likeable.
He has an over active imagination ( tells stories of things that have happened but adds to it)
Not a great sleeper, never has been.
Has his own little "funky" style Grin

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Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 29/03/2013 00:46

Also teacher has told me he is highly intelligent but lacks concentration and gets distracted easily, I know this and this has been a constant observation from every teacher through school in each year I get told this at parents evening.

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thornrose · 29/03/2013 00:49

Shooting, that's interesting, sounds a lot like my dd, especially the hating loud noises and not sleeping!

Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 29/03/2013 00:55

Just thought of more little things.
Hates washing his hair he will do it but hates water in his face/ears.
Totally hates brushing his teeth again I can only describe this as a fear.

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Original poster
ShootingStarsss · 29/03/2013 00:59

Does it thornrose, what else does your dd do or not like?
Can I ask what age your dd was when you knew she had AS?

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