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Children's health

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Original poster

Constant throat clearing - 8yr old

30 replies

BettyOBarley · 08/12/2021 15:45

What could this be?!

8yr old DD has been doing this regular throat clearing for a few months. At its worst it's every few seconds and seems worse when she's eating, but is fairly regular anyway.
When I ask her she says she's coughing (she does also have a cough/cold currently) but it's not, it's constant ahem ahem ahem.
Her class teacher has now told her it's distracting!

She once had a harsh cough a couple of years ago and was given a brown inhaler which cleared the cough. We've tried it again for a week or two recently but it hasn't made a difference.

OP posts:
IgneousRock · 08/12/2021 15:49

This is quite a common tic. This link may be helpful:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/tics/

Lonestar123 · 08/12/2021 15:49

Sounds like it could be a verbal tic. Pretty common in 8 year olds.

Fridafever · 08/12/2021 15:51

My seven year old does this but only (currently) when he’s watching TV. I assume it’s a tic in his case, I haven’t mentioned it as I feel it’s best not to draw attention to it.

BabycakesMatlala · 08/12/2021 15:51

Tic round our way too (and we also have blinking) 🙂 We have found magnesium supplementation really knocks it on the head.

Aquamarine1029 · 08/12/2021 15:52

I'm wondering if it could be silent reflux.

Original poster
BettyOBarley · 08/12/2021 19:27

Oh really, I never even thought of a tic!
We'll try not to mention it again and see if it goes away. She's very aware of it now the teacher brought it up in front of the whole class though unfortunately and told her she was distracting everyone... Hmm

Silent reflux is interesting as I think she does it more when eating. I'm going to try and keep a note of which times of day are worse.

Will definitely try the magnesium thanks @BabycakesMatlala - is it a particular dose or just whatever is in a normal multi-vit?

OP posts:
BabycakesMatlala · 08/12/2021 19:36

Proper standalone supplements, @BettyOBarley - webMD website gives maximum supplement doses of:
65 mg/day for children ages 1-3
110 mg/day for children ages 4-8
350 mg/day for adults and children ages 9 and up

www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-magnesium

My 10 and 13 year old (both intermittently ticcy) are currently on 200mg a day and it's worked within a week of introduction (I'd done it previously with good effect, but then forgot what had worked! (In my defence, we have quite a lot.going on health and SENwise Grin))

Doublevodka · 08/12/2021 19:40

My DD had this aged 7. Went on for several months and she developed lots of other tics along side this such as blinking, flexing fingers and toes, developed sudden sensitivity to some clothes, shoes and other weird behaviour. All her symptoms were actually textbook Tourette’s syndrome. However it all disappeared after a few months. I learned it was actually very common for this age group to have verbal and sometimes motor tics.

flippertyop · 08/12/2021 19:41

My kids have all had tics like this. At first it freaked me out and I was worried they would end up with turrets but they wax and wane. We've had verbal tics eye rolling tics neck moving tics - the list is endless. It can be hereditary. One had a humming tic and kept getting told off at school. Unless it lasts over a year you should t sorry but expect another at some point

flippertyop · 08/12/2021 19:42

Tourette's - spell check!

Original poster
BettyOBarley · 08/12/2021 20:12

Thanks all, I had never even imagined it to be a tic - I was thinking asthma! It's funny actually becauae I've just remembered I had a tic at a similar age where I used to scrunch my nose over and over - I'd forgotten about that!
Hopefully it will pass.

Thanks for the info on magnesium Babycakes it's definitely worth a try.

OP posts:
flippertyop · 08/12/2021 20:13

Ha ! When mine got them we discovered lots of family had them also when younger. There's definitely something in that

Hotelhelp · 08/12/2021 20:14

Is she complaining of a sore/itchy throat at all

insancerre · 08/12/2021 20:18

Dh used to do this
He has a hiatus hernia so does have acid reflux- he’s has just started to take magnesium every day and it has stopped

Partey · 08/12/2021 20:19

DS also went through this, the throat was when he was around 6 iirc.

He also went through a stage of pulling his pants out of his bum around a thousand times a day.

His latest(he’s 11) is kicking an imaginary football as he walks. He does a shoulder shrug thing too.

The throat one was awful, but I believe it’s best ignored. Someone more knowledgable will tell you for certain though

ShowOfHands · 08/12/2021 20:19

My goddaughter did this at exactly the same age. Some blinking and nose scrunching too. We were told to ignore it and she stopped after a few months. She's a Mum now and it never happened again. Interestingly, her youngest brother went through exactly the same thing at the same age. Again, all grown up and it never happened again.

yellowgreysocks · 08/12/2021 20:21

Ds had this too. Very much a vocal tic. Comes and goes as well, particularly in anxious times. Worst thing with a tic is to draw attention to it as the anxiety of not doing it means you do it more.

Something that worked for us is sucking ice chips (Ds often did it in front of the tv) and it broke the habit many a time.

Sweetpeasaremadeofcheese · 08/12/2021 20:21

My 7yo has a tic exactly like that at the moment. Sometimes he's very blinky with it as well, and occasionally does a weird neck stretching/head to the side movement with it also.

Usernamenotavailabletryanother · 08/12/2021 20:24

DD had this- still does sometimes. It was acid reflux. If she does it now, a bit of gaviscon seems to stop it.

Plutonium7000 · 08/12/2021 20:25

It can be a sign of ear or sinus issues (easily fixed) and might be worth asking GP for a referral to an ENT specialist (especially if accompanied by snoring/blocked ears or any other issues).

Haggisfish3 · 08/12/2021 20:26

Dd has this and it was acid indigestion. Ranitidine sorted her out.

yourestandingonmyneck · 08/12/2021 21:01

@BettyOBarley

Thanks all, I had never even imagined it to be a tic - I was thinking asthma! It's funny actually becauae I've just remembered I had a tic at a similar age where I used to scrunch my nose over and over - I'd forgotten about that! Hopefully it will pass.

Thanks for the info on magnesium Babycakes it's definitely worth a try.

I did similar when I was younger too.

I did the throat clearing for a while. I also went through a phase when I had an irresistible urge to speak at regular points. When I had nothing to say I would ask what the time was, but once I had asked that I would be out of ideas so I would just making a small squeaking noise without opening my mouth which seemed to satisfy it. I can remember being self conscious about it though so I would often wait till there was a sound to cover it.

I don't remember my family every mentioning it and I don't think they even noticed.

I can remember staying with my aunty in Ireland though and doing the squeak. I would wait for a loud bit on tv to muffle it but she noticed and asked what it was. I was a bit embarrassed and just denied it being me. Then after a while it just stopped.

The auntie has never mentioned it although it did come up in conversation recently that when I was around 2 I would constantly blink, as in screwing my eyes up really tight. It also just passed. I think it's common.

alwaysscared · 09/12/2021 00:46

Sorry to jump in but can you tell me what magnesium you use @BabycakesMatlala
We are having real problems with my 8 years olds anxiety. He has a vit d spray and multi vit. Can he take magnesium as well?

Original poster
BettyOBarley · 09/12/2021 10:51

Thanks all, some good things to try here with the gaviscon, magnesium etc.

I realised this morning that she never does it on a morning. I usually start noticing it as she's eating her lunch she will do it and then it continues on during the day.

She doesn't complain of a sore throat but she does have absolutely massive tonsils which I've asked the GP about before but they weren't concerned.

OP posts: