Can anyone help to explain what my 6yo niece is doing?

[edam]

My sister's asked me to post and see whether anyone can explain an odd nervous twitch my 6yo niece has. When she's over-excited, she does this thing where she shakes, flaps her hands and grimaces. She's aware of it and conscious throughout - when my sister asked, she said 'she has to do it'.

Any clues about what it is, and whether we should ignore or try to do something about it?

p.s. my sister's a nurse - seems relevant somehow.

Oh, and my niece is a lovely little girl, who is doing well at school, popular with other children, plays nicely with them and with my ds.

Has her school noticed any issues?

Sounds like some of my pupils who have Tourettes. Might also be just a nervous tic which she will grow out of. I would ask the GP about it. Does she have any other tics?

It sounds a lot like something my nephew suffers with, a kind of facial tic. Possibly worth checking with the GP all is well but a lot of kids just grow out of it.

Thanks for replying, got pulled away by stuff to do with my poorly neighbour.

School haven't raised it but other children have noticed - fortunately it's a really lovely tiny village school so she's not being picked on.

I doubt it's Tourettes as it's just one thing, although I know why you would think about it (compulsion, I guess, is the common factor).

Right, will go back to my sister and tell her the wisdom of MN says 'probably nothing to worry about but check with the GP', right?

My son does this as a stim - a self stimulatory behaviour.
It is a feature of his autism but I am sure some small dc do it too but grow out of it.
But I would see the gp

My nephew does this, he has been checked and if you ask him he also replies I have to do it, He is very excitable and DR ha said it is his way of burning off nervous excess energy, his school friends call him flapper, but he has no issues with bullying or anything like that and as he is getting older he is learning or growing out of it

We were very concerned about my youngest daughter who would jump up and down, run around the room and wave her arms whenever she felt happy or overly anxious.

It sounds quite funny when one writes it down but really at the time it was quite a concern.

My daughter is now 23, has graduated from University and is currently studying for a degree. She is a very happy, intelligent young lady and it now seems inconceivable that we ever thought there was anything wrong with her.

If you are concerned about your niece's behaviour, you should of course consult your doctor but I wouldn't be at all surprised if she is just a very exuburant child.

Thank you, that's very reassuring! And yes, it seems to be when she's over-excited but knows she can't just run around shouting at the top of her voice.

It is rather like telling a fidget to sit still and as much as she tries, she cannot help but fidget because that is in her nature

I would guess that the grimacing etc is just her way of controlling the urge to run around in great excitment. For a 6 year old I would say she is showing remarkable restraint in suppressing her natural excitable behaviour.

As your niece is doing well and is popular at school I wouldn't worry too much unless it becomes a concern to her or is in danger of causing her problems in her relationships with other people.

We all have our quirks - my daughter still jumps up and down in excitment but, it is part of her character and is actually very endearing.

I would stress though that if your sister does feel your niece's behaviour is a concern than she should follow her own feelings and speak to the doctor.

A friends child does this. She flaps her hands like a seal's flippers. It is just a nervous energy/twitch and I am sure she will grow out of it. She does get teased at school though

Thanks, Felicity, that's reassuring.

Toothbrush, what a shame. Sorry to hear about that.