Excessive Blinking

[Katherine]

DS has started blinking excessivly. I'm really worried its a nervous habit that is developing but don't really know what to do about it. I'm going to get his eyes tested but I'm sure its not that. We've had a lot of trouble with his school lately - I'm convinced he is dyslexic (he's 5.5) but they are being very unhelpful. I've just started a reading programme at home with him. Its only 10 mins a day and the blinking is now going on all day but I'm still worried its something to do with me.

It was happening last term and I thought it was just when he was tired but its got worse over the holidays and I'm sure hes not tired all day!

Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you handle it?

My ds had a blinking habit when he was 4.5 we had his eyes tested and there was no problem there. It started in the summer time and the doctor suggested that he may have hay fever and ds is blinking instead of itching his eyes. My ds continued to blink excessively for about 4 months we now believe it may have been a reaction to starting school and me being pregnant at the time. On and off over a couple of years he continued to have a few nervous habits including sucking his fingers, blowing on his fingers and repeating things repetitively. All these things have stopped now. I used to really worry when he was going through each phase. I would try very hard not to mention it as I didn't want him to worry about it. My ds did struggle at school and after 2 years he was diagnosed as having ADD which would explain all the nervous habits. Ds has a statement for special needs and he receives help for a few hours each day. It's quite common for young boys to have a blinking habit a few of my friends sons have done this and my dh used to do this as a child aswell. I'm sure it's just a phase your ds is going through and it's probably due to his frustration at school.

Thanks myalias. I've been asking why he's blinking but maybe I should just be ingoring it and not making a big thing of it.

I was just worried that the reading I was doing with him was making it worse but then I suppose as his reading improves the anxiety will drop so hopefully will the blinking.

It quite reassuring to know that its quite common. Thanks.

Katherine, my DS has also had various peculiar habits and tics over the last 2 or 3 years (he's now 5), ranging from excessive blinking, throat clearing, lip sucking, strange mouthing and so on.

Initially I tend to ignore it, sometimes it goes away all by itself. When it has reached the point where it's getting on my nerves, I have been a very cruel mummy and asked him why he does it and that it looks a bit daft and perhaps he should try and stop himself doing it. Just by pointing it out to him, it makes him aware of it and gradually it goes away. In fact until I read this thread tonight I'd forgotten about his last habit but on reflection he hasn't done it for a while, so that's another episode passed.

DS is a fairly sensitive, stressy individual, but I haven't noticed a clear pattern of when he does these things, often it's when he's tired, sometimes it's before he's about to speak so I wonder if it's a lack of confidence.

I remember reading somewhere that it's very common at this age - if school aren't helpful, how about a quick phonecall to your health visitor?

Anyway, I've never worried unduly, each phase has passed just as I'm beginning to wonder if it's a habit for life.

Hope this sets your mind at rest.

Just to add Katherine don't worry too much.
My brother did this when he was younger my mother took him to the doctors and the doctor said to my brother that it was getting on my mother nerves and to stop it. Strange but he did, it was just a habit. He never done it again. larsxx

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I've posted on this subject before - about my stepson, who's 6. He has had all sorts of nervous tics in the last 6 months - blowing, head turning and blinking being the most common. It seems to have coincided with his mother getting a new boyfriend. He is not sunny by nature and is quite sensitive, so I think this is also a factor. On the advice of other mumsnetters, dp and I have decided to ignore it as much as possible. Sometimes he seems to be getting a little better and then the next time he visits he's got a new one, so we are not sure what to do really. His mother is taking him to a specialist soon, so will keep you posted. Telling him that he's doing it again and to stop only works in the short term, in our experience. It is worrying but it does seem to be something that passes, judging by what other mumsnet mother's have said.

When you take him to have his eyes tested ask them to check him on a microscope (slit lamp) for signs of hayfever and/or dry eye. Either of these could cause excessive blinking which can then become a habit or twitch. It is tree pollen season at the moment.

But you may be right , it could well just be stress, though it is odd it's got worse over the holidays, unless he's worried about going back to school.

Well the optician said his eyes were perfect and no signs of hayfever. She was pretty confident it was a nervous thing and said it was very common.

So I've told him the optician said his eyes worked fine so no need to blink all the time. We'll see what happens!