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7 year old tics, anxiety, food aversion, separation anxiety

8 replies

AJOC · 27/07/2025 20:35

After any advice or experience -

So... I'll try and start at the beginning for anyone kind enough to read to the end!

My beautiful 7 year old started with an "eye roll" tic a little over a year ago! It happened after she purposely rolled her eyes at me and I was a little shocked and pulled her up on it, asking her not to do it again - well, they were then constant! She apoeared seemingly unaware they were happening. A few months later, a little "squeak" appeared! It wasn't all the time and just happened to be around when we were reading a story or she was watching TV. Fast forward a few weeks and they disappeared for a good 6 months!!

In January of this year, the eye rolls started again - this was accompanied by a little throat clearing and the occasional squeak! I presumed they'd just disappear again like they did before!

She then had a near chocking experience and 6 weeks later, started refusing all food (this was after initially being fine with food). It was a battle to get her eat again. She lived on soup and yoghurt - but bless her heart, gradually started introducing food again and a few weeks later, after a family trip to Turkey, she returned with normal eating habits! However ... the tics intensified!!! She started head shakes, eye rolls, coughs, squeaks, little grunts, shoulder shrugs, mouth stretching, skips - it was very intense!! I started her with some magnesium gummies (but to little avail).

Out of nowhere, she then started saying she felt sick and refused to eat again for a few days! Now, every night before bed, she gets upset saying she's scared she's going to be sick - but never actually gets sick! This has come in waves and she is generally off food for a few days before picking up again! (However, the night time upset continues) this has been going on since May!

Today - she started spluttering and coughing and crying whilst eating lunch - she wasn't choking but a quarter of a grape had felt funny going down which resulted in a meltdown and an entire afternoon and evening off food again!

Om top of this - she WILL NOT leave me alone! She follows me to the toilet, round the house, cries to come in the car with me when I nip to the shops!

There just seems to have been A LOT going on in short amount of time! I keep thinking or hoping it's a phase - but things just seems to be getting worse rather than improving!

Any advice out there??

Thank you so much for reading!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
TheGirlattheBack · 27/07/2025 21:11

These are all symptoms of PANS / PANDAS. It’s an auto immune encephalitis triggered by infection - strep if it’s PANDAS, anything if it’s PANS.

Info here

PANS PANDAS UK

Welcome to PANS PANDAS UK. This is our Home page.

https://panspandasuk.org/

AJOC · 27/07/2025 21:17

So even an ear infection as she's been quite prone to those?

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TheGirlattheBack · 27/07/2025 21:22

Possibly. Has she has any antibiotics for the ear infections?

AJOC · 27/07/2025 21:37

TheGirlattheBack · 27/07/2025 21:22

Possibly. Has she has any antibiotics for the ear infections?

She hasn't had a/b for about 2 years. I had heard of the these conditions but as I can't think of a time she had strep, I had disregarded it. Would you think just a visit to the GP would help? Thank you for your help

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TheGirlattheBack · 27/07/2025 21:54

Unfortunately that depends on your GP and whether they are open to this as a diagnosis - it is widely accepted in the NHS now though. You will definitely need a referral to a paediatrician, your GP can do that.

The fear of choking and being sick will need a psychologist as once it’s developed it can’t be medicated away. In our experience the tics go with a course of penicillin and ibuprofen.

In the mean time, if she gets any more ear infections make sure they are treated promptly with antibiotics and anti inflammatories (ibuprofen).

Thoughtsforcoffee · 28/07/2025 18:24

PANDAS mum here and I think your daughter is ticking a lot
of the symptoms boxes. Feel free to PM me. NHS GP generally won’t have heard of it hit worth a try showing them the GP leaflet from PANS/PANDAS action website x

ThatBlackCat · 28/07/2025 19:28

All of those things you listed are classic Aspergers/Autism. I had all of them as a child, all of the stimming signs - tics, etc. Food aversion is a major Autism trait, as is separation anxiety. Definitely look at a ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) diagnosis.

AJOC · 28/07/2025 19:55

ThatBlackCat · 28/07/2025 19:28

All of those things you listed are classic Aspergers/Autism. I had all of them as a child, all of the stimming signs - tics, etc. Food aversion is a major Autism trait, as is separation anxiety. Definitely look at a ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) diagnosis.

Ooh OK - that's something I hadn't necessarily thought of before as all these behaviours are fairly new and prior to that I had an amazing sleeper and eater.
I'm definitely seeing the GP about this and hopefully we'll be on the right path to somewhere soon

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