DD will be 6 in September and she won’t stop gulping. It’s really loud swallowing and, particularly in the evenings, it’s almost constant.
She gets upset when I ask her to stop and says she doesn’t know how to. So it appears to be a subconscious thing.
I’ve asked her gently to describe why she’s doing it. I’ve asked if it’s because she can feel snot/water dripping down the back of her throat (thinking post nasal drip as her hayfever is bad at the moment). I’ve asked her if it feels like liquid is coming up her tummy (thinking reflux). She said it’s the latter.
It seems to be at its worst when she’s reading to me at bedtime. She seems to swallow after every word. It does feel like there’s an element of habit at play - almost like a tic.
Has anyone experienced this? She’s never complained of any reflux-type symptoms (except never sleeping as a baby) and her diet hasn’t changed at all. Post nasal drip seemed more likely because of the hay fever and the fact she’s only started doing it recently during the hay fever season, but she is pretty adamant liquid is coming up her throat. She also says she always has a frog in her throat which I suppose could also indicate reflux.
Is new onset reflux in a young child at all common? What would a GP even do?