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Original poster

Throat clearing tic

29 replies

englishrose1234 · 31/07/2023 19:42

Hi mumsnet

I'm looking for some advice / experiences of others. My 3 year old son has recently developed a throat clearing tic. It happens mainly when he is tired or watching tv but has been every day for about a month now. Sometimes it's once every 10 mins or so. Other times it's literally every 3/4 seconds. I'm scared for the future in case this continues and is present for him starting school. Not only would it be a massive distraction to others in his class but might impact friendships etc.

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leismah · 31/07/2023 19:44

I'm not sure OP but following with interest, my son does this, we are so used to it we just saw it as a DS thing we never really thought anything about it, he's 10 now and on the pathway for ADHD diagnosis, he has some mild sensory issues too and I'd never thought about the throat clearing thing he does as a tic so adding it to the list!

Original poster
englishrose1234 · 31/07/2023 19:57

Thank-you for your reply. Have read about it being linked to ADHD. Not sure my son is displaying signs of ADHD yet but he's still quite young.

OP posts:
FloofCloud · 31/07/2023 20:05

It's very common apparently, both my children had tics that disappeared. Since they've come back and DD has Tourette's ... possibly DS too but he's in the queue to be tested for ADHD/Autism. BUT I was told my
Multiple professionals that tics usually disappear

plumcherry · 31/07/2023 20:10

Just to say it could be asthma / wheeze presenting differently. Mine has had this twice , particularly when eating but it did go after a few weeks

Hellocatshome · 31/07/2023 20:10

Lots of kids develop tics and stutters around that age and for the majority they disappear all by themselves.

Original poster
englishrose1234 · 31/07/2023 20:18

Thank-you everyone. I'm panicked. Feel out of my depth!!!

OP posts:
AvocadoSurprise · 31/07/2023 20:27

I also wonder if it could be asthma. This is how both of my children presented before they were diagnosed.

stayathomer · 31/07/2023 20:30

Two of my sons have this- one more than the other, and I took him to a specialist who said it was just a tick. The thing is he swallows and sometimes says it’s uncomfortable but they watched him do it (luckily it happened as he was there), and they said it didn’t look like an allergic reaction ( we were terrified in case this was the case). It’s continued and we’ve taken him back to the doctor and he said it’s just a habit and his son sometimes does it. They said they wouldn’t put a camera down for something so small as it would be too much for him. I still worry there’s something there. So nothing for you but just to let you know our take

stayathomer · 31/07/2023 20:31

Ps just read the last few replies and is interesting as one of my sons does have asthma

PineappleMint · 31/07/2023 20:44

Just to say although most tics are grown out of, some are not and it would be helpful not to catastrophise Tourette’s syndrome. My son has lived with TS since he was about 3, he is a delight, has a brilliant friendship group and would be appalled to think that others saw him as a “massive distraction”. There is a lot more understand of TS and empathy towards it, especially amongst younger people; older people do still unfortunately show a lack of understanding at times but he has learnt that this says much more about them than it does about him. It’s probably just a transient thing but it may not be and a positive parental attitude to TS will shape the best outcome. My son does take exams in a separate room but otherwise school have always supported his complete inclusion. The Tourette’s Association have some brilliant resources and information.

BeverlyBrook · 31/07/2023 20:44

Don't mention the tic to him.
Ignore it completely.
And you can try distracting him with some other thing/ task when you notice it.
It happens when they are 'in their head' ruminating over something.

Do you talk about feelings? Let him express himself through words and that may get him through it.

There is no medication to take, what you can do is 'head stuff'.

It does just disappear with time.

Original poster
englishrose1234 · 31/07/2023 20:53

PineappleMint · 31/07/2023 20:44

Just to say although most tics are grown out of, some are not and it would be helpful not to catastrophise Tourette’s syndrome. My son has lived with TS since he was about 3, he is a delight, has a brilliant friendship group and would be appalled to think that others saw him as a “massive distraction”. There is a lot more understand of TS and empathy towards it, especially amongst younger people; older people do still unfortunately show a lack of understanding at times but he has learnt that this says much more about them than it does about him. It’s probably just a transient thing but it may not be and a positive parental attitude to TS will shape the best outcome. My son does take exams in a separate room but otherwise school have always supported his complete inclusion. The Tourette’s Association have some brilliant resources and information.

Thank-you. I really do not mean to sound like a have a negative attitude towards TS. I am probably just scared and taken completely unawares by this. When I say distraction, I am just vocalising my own experience of his throat clearing and it drives me mad... it really is so distracting!

Thank you for telling me about your child. He sounds amazing.

OP posts:
BeverlyBrook · 31/07/2023 20:55

The link to tourettes - it is a continuum. Tics at 1 end, full on tourettes at the other.

Very few go from 1 to the other. And there is lots you can do as a parent.

Original poster
englishrose1234 · 31/07/2023 20:58

BeverlyBrook · 31/07/2023 20:55

The link to tourettes - it is a continuum. Tics at 1 end, full on tourettes at the other.

Very few go from 1 to the other. And there is lots you can do as a parent.

Thank-you. Any tips on what parents can do?

OP posts:
PineappleMint · 31/07/2023 21:42

No worries. I didn’t mean to sound accusatory either, I’m probably overly defensive of the TS community! But I was terrified at first as well, and I should have had more empathy, I’m really sorry about that. I forget how far we are now from
where we started. I would start with a visit to your GP - it helps to video the throat clearing when it’s at its peak, your GP might want to rule out things like reflux, post nasal drip, asthma etc which could all cause throat clearing. Even if it is a tic, the majority of kids grow out of them, and if they don’t, as I said there is so much more understanding and support now. Honestly my sons peers would see anyone being negative about his tics in the same way they would someone mocking someone in a wheelchair, just really uncool and unacceptable to do that. I’m not going to say my son doesn’t get negative reactions - he does, but as he says, it’s just a handy way of working out very quickly who he wouldn’t have wanted to be friends with anyway! He’s a mental health ambassador at school, he’s passionate about inclusion, he has a wide circle of friends who no longer even notice his tics, and we’ve tried to build in him the resilience to deal with whatever comes his way. In my view the best way to handle it is to be totally casual about it with your DC, let nursery or school know in advance so they can make sure everyone is aware, and work on your own acceptance as far as possible. I have misophonia so having a child with TS has presented challenges!, but with the knowledge that it’s something completely out of your child’s control, you do develop coping strategies. TS can be awful, I don’t want to be all sunshine and rainbows about it - there are times when my son has been in agony with a tic but still is compelled to keep doing the neck jerk etc that has caused the problem, but I kind of inferred from your post that your main worry would be social acceptance and inclusion and things have honestly changed so much with that. Do contact the Tourette’s association for a chat, you don’t have to have a diagnosis of TS - they’re great for strategies, advice and reassurance. Feel free to message me as well if I can be any help. And it’s worth keeping an eye out for ADHD/anxiety/OCD as they do often go hand in hand with TS - by no means always but it helps to know what to keep an eye out for so you can address things quickly where needed.

magnolia1997 · 31/07/2023 21:52

Are you sure it's not a physical thing? I've had post-nasal drip irritating my throat on and off for ages.
It drives me mad (and everyone around me).
It feels like mucus sitting on the back of my throat - I cough to clear it but the irritation remains.

DustyLee123 · 31/07/2023 21:54

My DS had this and it was asthma.

BeverlyBrook · 31/07/2023 22:10

For a 3 year old I would say- observe when the tic is happening. There will be a pattern in what he is doing or what he is thinking about.

So gentle distraction to doing something else can work.

Doing something together that requires some thought, so he is focused on it instead.

The less the tic happens the less fixed it becomes.

You will realise one day that he hasn't done it in ages. It may come back at times of stress/ anxiety. But then it will go again.

MsChatterbox · 31/07/2023 22:14

My son has quite a few tics. The vocal ones like throat clearing can sometimes become really overpowering to him like he can't get done what he needs to as he's doing it so much. In these instances I ask him to take a deep breath to kind of reset. The past few months I've seen him taking a few quick deep breaths in a row instead of throat clearing at all. This seems a lot more calm and manageable for him.

MsChatterbox · 31/07/2023 22:14

P.s. I followed the advice to ignore it for a while and it got quite severe. When I intervened with asking him to take a deep breath they really calmed down.

HedgesNotFences · 31/07/2023 22:18

Is he clearing his throat because he has flem/post nasal drip? I know I constantly clear my throat in the spring and summer. It drives my family mad but I can’t help it. You could try an anti histamine or nose spray.

insatiableme · 31/07/2023 22:21

I was thinking asthma. I'm quite like this when my chest is tight.

JussathoB · 31/07/2023 22:25

Try not to worry too much OP. I had a tic like this when I was a child, probably more like 5-7 yrs old. I do not have asthma or ADHD or TS or autism, I grew out of it and it has never come back.
You could mention it to the GP etc but otherwise try not to be anxious about it.

Original poster
englishrose1234 · 01/08/2023 12:46

Thank you everyone. You have been really kind and helpful.

OP posts:
NeonHalo · 01/08/2023 21:42

My DS had this last year. Drove me mad as well as making me so anxious. It was relentless for about 3 months and then just suddenly stopped. He’s nearly 6 and fine 🙂