Anxiety and swallowing issues

[DayDreamingDaisy]

Trying not to read too much into this but with the wealth of knowledge on here I thought it wise to ask the question.
DS1 (11) is having therapy for PTSD, he is highly strung and spends a lot of time worrying about many what if's that there are no answers to. He has his struggles at school (Y7) and there are various support networks set up for him to help him feel safe and cope in school.
Last night we could visibly see he was struggling to swallow (gulping and stretching his neck), I asked if he had a pain and he said no but his spit was getting stuck and he could not breathe and it had been happening for a few hours. We kept him plied with water and cordial but when he was eating his tea (a sandwich) he was using the drink to swallow his food. We rang NHS Direct to ask their advice which was to drink warm fluids and paracetamol, we followed this advice until bedtime and today everything was completely back to normal.
DS1 does not have any physical difficulties or LD's, it is all emotional issues he battles with.
Could this episode be a result of a bad few days at school and his anxiety levels being high or is it maybe just one of those things and completely unrelated? Would it be wise to mention this to CAMHS when we go later on this week or just wait and see if it happens again?
Any advice would be much appreciated....

Well I don't have PTSD or anything else as far as I know. But I have swallowing issues too when I am anxious.

I used to swallow and swallow at school when I was in the choir at the front of assemblies.

And now I can't stop repetitively swallowing at night when I wake up and the children are in bed with me. I worry about them waking up because I am awake and then can't stop swallowing. It feels like I've got spit/mucus in the back of my throat and I want to clear my throat but not cough.

Thanks Skewiff , I wondered last night if it was anxiety related and it has been on my mind all day but from what you describe it would seem similar. We'll watch him for now and see if it was a one off.

it could also be post-nasal drip if you're wanting to eliminate physical causes.

does sound like anxiety though doesn't it?

I am the same as skewiff - I swallow constantly when anxious. But spit gets stuck at the back of my throat so I just keep swallowing. It is like a compulsion, I know I should stop but I can't.
I suffer from anxiety and I know it is linked to that...

Yes the more I try to stop swallowing the more I actually swallow. I end up with a really sore throat from swallowing so much.

Thanks for your replies, it started again at school yesterday and then continued in the evening so I will mention it to CAMHS and come back here if they come back with any useful advice.... I am pretty sure it is anxiety related now, there does not seem to be a physical problem. Also the fact it has stopped and then started.

PipinJo - we are getting him checked out at docs next week but psychologist is 99% sure it is anxiety as it was so visible yesterday at his therapy session. He said we will chat more next week but in the meantime when we see him starting we need to distract him with a game or a little job to do or something and see how it settles down. DS1 really was offended when psych said it looked as though it was anxiety and made a 20p bet the GP will find a physical reason for it! Funny as the last couple of weeks he has sat and said next to nothing but yesterday was feisty as heck! Maybe we are beginning to make progress!

I have a friend when her anxiety levels are raised and she is feeling panicky she also feels that she can't swallow, mouth is very dry and the whole sensory senations of it all increase her anxiety levels.

Try ice pops, they can provide a nice and simple diversion, that is also sensory. They are cheap, you can buy boxes of them and some are themed ie High School Musical, etc (although your ds may prefer something like the Simpsons!).

If you can't get ice pops try lollies x