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Children's health

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What is this? Described as 7yo throwing neck back involuntarily

11 replies

WingingWonder · 12/09/2018 18:48

Hi, can anyone help with what I might ask the nhs website what this is?
My son is 7yo and recently has started with a sort of tick- he keeps throwing his neck back/up as though he is looking at sky
It’s involuntary and every couple of minutes and he doesn’t realise he’s doing it
He did it maybe a few times a day at weekend,
When I ask google (!) it just brings up tic bites 🙄

OP posts:
Coconutcreampie · 12/09/2018 18:54

www.nhs.uk/conditions/tics/

Blowinbubbles · 12/09/2018 18:54

I typed in 'head, neck jerk' and that brought up some results that may help on Google

Coconutcreampie · 12/09/2018 18:57

Could possibly be to do with him being back at school, a stress response. Ds2 had one 2 years ago which the best way I could describe it he moved his arm as if he was a dj scratching a record iyswim. It got less and less and we hardly ever see it anymore. Try not to make a big deal of it to him as hard as it is as it's proven that often just makes the tic worse

collywobble · 12/09/2018 19:00

My daughter did something similar which was shaking her head and what can only be described as gurning for around a year . We were told not to mention it and it eventually stopped.

Singlenotsingle · 12/09/2018 19:00

Maybe a form of Tourettes, but without the noises. You'll have to get him to the GP

QOD · 12/09/2018 19:00

My dd used to do what we called ‘car crash face’. Basically grimacing nd gurning. With jaw forward
Was Definitely a stress tic. She was not massively happy in school at that time. Then it became a habit
Couple of my nieces have it too - one of my dh side has Tourette’s very mildly

WingingWonder · 12/09/2018 19:20

Thanks all, that’s defiantly it, I think in my concern/panic/toddler asking all of the questions I clearly didn’t type straight
@coconut how long did it take to go? I’m terrified he might get bullied if they notice- I was badly bullied at this age and it sticks with me even now

OP posts:
Dadsbigsausages · 12/09/2018 19:30

Motor or vocal Tics are not uncommon at this age. Tourette's is a condition diagnosed after a year of tics with at least one verbal component (in my son's case, throat clearing). Is it not as common as tv documentaries make you think it is.

Tics are best ignored. Drawing attention to them or asking the child to stop it can make the feeling of needing to do it worse and prolong them.

They can be a reaction to stress, even if the child doesn't realise it. It can be after doing something for a long time (having a cough, and still feeling the urge to cough long after the cold has gone).

Best thing to do is make sure he's physically well, no temperature or symptoms of a virus etc and ignore (if he has recently had illness take him to gp as I was told this, but it was just a random occurrence really).

If he's noticed or if children have commented about it reassure him it's not something he can control and lots of children and adults do it. Mention it to his teacher. My son hardly does it at school so his didn't believe me lol. It is worse when they are tired.

If it lasts weeks you can see your gp, if it's impacting daily life a lot you can be referred to a hospital consultant or cahms for cbt. My son is too young for this yet.

You may find a history of it in older people in your family who grew out of it or found how to control the urge so no one sees them.
Perhaps not.

Mostly it will just pass on its own.

WingingWonder · 12/09/2018 20:13

Thank you, after a bit of chat minus toddler lurking, it would seem back to school has been stressful for him and he’s finding the new work really hard 🙁

OP posts:
boble1 · 12/09/2018 21:45

Hi

I did this as a child. It was a tic and it went.

Other tics came and went too.

Its best to ignore it.

xx

Coconutcreampie · 13/09/2018 12:51

It just gradually died down over the 2 year period really. I wouldn't be surprised if it surfaces again briefly as he's stressed with moving from reception to year one at the moment but because I've seen that it does die down eventually I won't be as worried this time. I think you would be surprised to see how many kids have them, it's just that you never pay as much attention to other children as your own. At this age certainly it won't lead to bullying especially as it's not a vocal tic, young kids throw themselves about a lot anyway so the other kids won't pay attention. I would recommend giving the teacher a heads up tho so she doesn't think he's being disruptive if she sees him do it

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