Tic or stim?

[mrsbaffled]

DS2 (5) was dx with Tourettes (TS) at Easter.
His brother DS1 (9) was recently assessed for AS and fell just under the diagnostic criteria in 2 of the 3 areas, but scoring highly in the poor social imagination area (so has lots of stereotyped behaviours, rituals etc), but no formal dx of anything (apart from SpLD).

For over a year DS1 has had some facial tics as well, starting with eye widenings, then onto nose and mouth movements. He has done a new tic over the last few days too - opening his eyes really wide, then moving his eyes left and right three or four times - looks very odd :( I haven't seen the GP as I feel there is little point because it's not TS without vocal tics, and he only has a handful of tics compared to DS2.

BUT then it stuck me that he has always made funny noises, but we put it down to sensory stuff and playing with noises. He is doing it now as we speak - he is taking a sentence of 3 words (in context - the first time) and is now up to his 20+ repetition of the phrase..... Now he has slightly changed the phrase, but it still going.....

Does this sound like stimming? Or could it be a tic. If it is a verbal tic, then perhaps I need to go back to pursue a TS dx for him too??

MIL remembers vividly him about 2 or 3 "pooping" round Lidl. She was a bit embarrassed, but DH didn't bat an eyelid as he did it all the time. Just saying high-pitched "poop poop...." like a vehicle reversing noise.

I do think he has AS, yes, however, I am not going to query it. We at least have the formal recognition of having issues in all 3 areas of the triad of impairments, with major issues in one. This is useful for telling school etc where he struggles (and for me understanding him).

I think we fell just under as the assessment was 3Di and a scoring system. School's answers carried some weight and unfortunately they answered "no problem" to every area. Personally I think the teacher was not looking properly and he did not 'get' DS1 at all. It was school (another teacher) who told us to investigate in the first place. Anyway.....this caused his scores to drop below the dx criteria. Also he has severe hyperactivity at home, but not noted at school (even though I can see him doing it when I help at clubs) and even the paed who observed him in school noted on it (and bad inattention), but given a ZERO by school, so no additional ADHD traits.

His tics are increasing, and starting to be very noticeable.

I suppose I am looking at TS again because of his brother's dx and the fact it runs strongly in the family. My DF has it and I think DH has it too (undx - his tics have increased recently too).