2 year old blinking strangely a lot

[Teoteo]

My 2 year old has starting blinking very firmly if that's makes sense throughout the day. So he sort of closes his eyes firmly as if they are hurting or itching - not a normal blink. He does it a few times everyday.

I am slightly concerned and thinking of asking GP, but it has coincided with the 2 year sleep regression, and so I'm wondering if it could just be tiredness? I'm working on getting his sleep back to normal and going his sleep settles back down soon, so thinking of waiting until that happens then see if the blinking thing stops.

Does that sound sensible or should I get it checked out sooner? Has anyone else's toddler ever had this?

Oh and I've asked him if his eyes hurt or if they're itchy and he says no each time.

Hi Teoteo, you've already checked it's not something irritating his eye so all I can suggest is that this can sometimes happen if a toddler is anxious about something - the worries are manifested physically in blinking excessively. Has there been family stress lately or a sudden change in routine for him? If it's worrying you make an appointment with your doctor.

I went through a phase where I developed this weird blinking tic and my toddler then copied me and started to blink like me I think it only lasted for both of us for a few weeks or months (certainly less than 3 months). I also had an itchy rash so would scratch my arm in a certain way and my DC who was 2 or 3 at the time also copied me.
Do you or anyone your DC sees regularly blinks that way?

I still blink weirdly when I'm tired or my eyes feel dry/sore.

Sorry, yes definitely get him check out like PP said I was just trying to reassure you that it could be a temporary nothing but with eyes they're so important it's vital to get it checked out. Best case is that it's nothing and just a bit tired or copying someone.

Sorry i keep posting (wish there was an edit button!) but maybe the opticians is a better shout for checking your DC's eyes.

My dad has always had little habits also known as tics. The blinking was quite a long lasting one and it's a very common one as I discovered after I raised it. She's free out of that one and has had a couple more. Her current one (she's 9 now) is to put things to her mouth/nose and inhale. Not great in a covidy world 😆. With eyes it's obviously worth checking it's nothing physical but generally its just a habit

Oh and tiredness absolutely does exacerbate tics so could definitely be involved

OP - you could take him to an optician to get his eyes checked for short sight? This happened to me - my DD was doing the blinking thing and I thought it was just a tic etc but it turns out blinking is a symptom of short sight in children and she needed glasses. Just a thought.

Dd obvs not dad 🤦🏼‍♀️. Also wish there was an edit button

Thanks. None of his family blink that say no. No trauma or anxiety or anything either.

To be clear - it's so hard to explain on here - it's not like an excessive repeated blinking. More like every now and then he closes his eyes firmly / screws them closed then opens again twice in a row, sort of like I can imagine doing if my eyes were sore. But he says they aren't hurting and he's usually quite clear about where things are hurting.

Hi @teoteo. Did you ever find out why your child was blinking hard. My DS aged 4 has recently started doing the same

Do get his eyes tested for short sight. My DD was doing exactly this and now has glasses - optician said one of the symptoms of short sight in children is blinking hard trying to get the eyes to “work better”.

Hi just wondering if this stopped? My 2 year old is doing it and im concerned its a tic xxx

Hi has this stopped ? ☺️