Air writing in 4 year old

[foreverhopeful1uk]

Hi my 4 year old has a history of tics, blinking, mouth stretching etc they come and go and have done for the last few years. He’s started doing this thing where he draws out shapes with his fingers, or writes numbers in the air. Sometimes he tells me what’s it is other times I can see he’s tracing something but other times I just see him looking at something and his finger is just moving around. It’s starting to happen a lot every every 20mins or so maybe a bit longer but a lot that I can notice it.

I asked at preschool if they are doing this and they said yes they do it to aid their writing I’m just nervous that it’s happening a lot.
does this seem like a normal learning thing or another tic like behaviour?

thanks xx

I can only speak from my own experience which is that this is something that I did a lot as a child and then grew out of it. I'm a regular boring neurotypical adult now. Obviously only a sample size of one but I wouldn't be concerned if my child did this. Have nursery said they are concerned?

Thanks for replying, no they haven’t said anything but I watch him like a hawk and I can see him doing it a lot. I’m hoping it wil just pass but it’s been over a week already, before this he started to count everything he saw and now I can see he’s drawing it x

He should get all the sleep he needs at his age, very little if any screen time, lots of physical exercise read, draw on paper, craft and maye swimming. It's probably transient childhood ticks. Reduce unnecessary stress.

When I was little parents called those things ‘habits’ and everyone had a few and grew out of them. Sister was a mouth stretcher, I was a blinker. Try not to pathologise normal child behaviour.

I try to do all the above but the tics keep coming and calming down then coming back and it’s been like that for nearly 2 years now.

You could give him a bucket of water and paint brush so he can use gross motor movement to write letters, numbers or his name on pavement flags or a wall outdoors. You could also use chunky chalks.
Indoors use a shallow tray with play sand or cornflour and water for mark making with his finger.

@oliviaAustinthank you I keep thinking that, I’m always worrying if I see something new and this seems a little new and strange x

Not everyone grows out of tics though. I certainly didn’t. Try not to minimise others experiences based on your own.

OP have you spoke to your GP/HV about the tics?

Yes and he said because he’s 4 they could go away as his nervous system matures. What age did yours start? They calm down for a few weeks start back up and then calm down and have done so for the last 2 years

I don’t know I was aware of tics when I was around 7/8 but I didn’t know what they were. Unfortunately my childhood wasn’t ideal so I don’t have any history other than my own memories.

So do you think the air writing could be a tic as opposed to a way of him learning?

When I was learning shorthand I used to 'write' everything I heard. I still do it sometimes (25 years later!). My dd (16) used to make the loudest droning noise when she was concentrating when she was in nursery. My son was earmarked as ND as soon as he started nursery because he hated divergence from routine (he actually just hated nursery). We are all NT and both kids are doing well both academically and socially.

One of my sons did the air writing thing from a similar age. He was diagnosed autistic aged 18, he still
does it now.

I really don’t think my son is autistic, a few people have mentioned that about tics but no one has ever flagged anything and i don’t seem to see anything that would suggest it, is that something I could just see later as he gets older or should i know hy now at the age of 4.5 years?

I still do a version of this as an adult. I will see a word or picture and trace it with my finger on my other hand or thigh. You probably wouldn’t notice it but I just find it calming.

Me too!
The only person who’s ever noticed is my teenage daughter so it’s not obvious. I do it with my toes too!
I assure you I’m a fully functioning, neurotypical middle aged woman and it’s never been an issue. Don’t think I have any other tics.

Autism isn't always obvious at 4, ds wasn't diagnosed till almost secondary school age. Looking back there were some signs (including tics) but everything could be put down to his age, or to being an only child or being within the realms of normal childhood development. Autistic people are not a completely different species!

It wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be autistic OP, but I also wouldn't assume he definitely is. Wouldn't surprise me if a few of the people on this thread were undiagnosed ND too though!

My child does this. They're now 6 and go through phases of air writing things for me to "read" or using it as a sort of sign language.

I have some concerns about their neurology and development but nothing too major. I'd roll with it for now.

Hi yes I know they aren’t completely different and I hope that my comments didn’t sound like I was saying this. It’s just there are no other signs that this could be a factor in his case so I think I would be a surprised if he was autistic as opposed to him not being. All healthcare providers have all said he’s not