Excessive blinking.

[Miss Peregrine]

DD 5 just started(in the past few weeks) blinking excessively. It is not "normal" blinking in that it is one eye at a time, usually her left, and the blinking side of her face contorts.

 

She says she can't help it and asks frequently, "Why can't I stop blinking?"

[laylamcb]

Did you look this up on the web? It's PROBABLY NOTHING--you know how kids start one weird thing after another, especially at that age. However, I do have a friend with OCD, and that was one of her compulsions. In school the kids started calling her "Blinkie." But the fact that your dd even mentioned it herself means it's probably nothing at all.

 

Aren't kids weird?! :D

[Cindy in C-ville]

Hey Amy,

 

A friend of mine has a son who periodically goes through a season of doing something like this. Her doctor, whose wife is one of my closest friends also, says that it's a tic that will most likely go away. He's advised her to not make a big deal out of it b/c stress can increase the occurrence of it. If you'd like, I'll ask her if you can email her about it.

 

~Cindy

[Stacy in NJ]

DD 5 just started(in the past few weeks) blinking excessively. It is not "normal" blinking in that it is one eye at a time, usually her left, and the blinking side of her face contorts.

 

She says she can't help it and asks frequently, "Why can't I stop blinking?"

 

This is a tic. Does she have any vocal tics, like small coughs or "whooo" sounds? The fact that her face contorts and she's asking why she can't stop, screams Tourettes Syndrome, to me. Lots of kiddos have some tics and never develop real Tourettes, but you should be aware of the possiblity it may further develop. 5 is about the age most TS kids start to develop tics. Sorry if I sound like an alarmist, but it good to be forwarned of the possibility.

 

My youngest ds9 has TS.

[Only me]

My nephew started to blink both eyes like that when he was about 7 but he grew out of it. A year or so ago my ds would look up without turning his head (almost the opposite of blinking). He couldn't control it but it went away on its own a few months ago.

[Stacy in NJ]

Just so you know, this probably isn't a symptom of OCD, but instead TS. TS and OCD are frequently diagnosed at the same time.

[sfernb]

could be from Tourette's syndrome. I'd check with family physician.

[Misty]

This definitely sounds like a tic to me. It could be transient tic disorder, which usually goes away after a few months or it could be Tourette's. Tourette's is diagnosed if the child has had at least one motor tic (i.e. blinking) and one vocal tic (i.e. clearing throat, spitting, coughing, barking) for at least one year. OCD & ADHD often go along with Tourette's. And TS is more common than you think. In every elementary school there are approximately 3 children with TS.

[Sarah CB]

it was driving me crazy. Major blinking with big facial contortions. People were asking me what was wrong with him. I took him to the dr because I thought there was something wrong with his eyes. Ds said they didn't hurt but they felt weird; like an itch but not really and he had to blink. Eventually, the blinking slowed down and now he barely does it at all.

 

Unless it's paired with something else I'd wait it out and see what happens.

[Jen500]

When my ds suddenly developed a severe facial tic his ped. tested for PANDAS. I think it's more common in boys though. Ds tic went away though and neg. on all the testing.

[Snickerdoodle]

I think most kids develop a transient tic during their young years. I wouldn't worry about it.

[lori in tx]

At what point would you become concerned with a tic?

[Snickerdoodle]

I think you would become worried about a tic if they continued with it for 6 months to a year.

[lori in tx]

What if over time the tic changes to something else? I am sorry if I am hijacking, my son use to do a voice clearing sound and that went on for awhile about a year and now it is gone but instead he shrugs a shoulder and it has been going on for awhile at least a year.

Concern?

[Snickerdoodle]

I think if he had a tic that's been going on for a year, even if it started as one tic that morphed to another tic, then I would probably take him in to get checked out.

 

HTH

 

I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on tv.

[Hot Lava Mama]

and I was very concerned because he had just been discharged from ICU for epilepsy. I thought it was related to that. I spoke with the pediatrian and some specialists, and they all said "ticks" are VERY normal at this age, and especially for boys. And the more attention you bring to it, the worse it becomes. Also, the "tick" changed from one thing to another. All in all, it was about 1 year of different things, then they just went away.

 

That said, I would still consult a doctor just to make sure it isn't anything else. I know how completely "freaked out" it can feel to you (the mom), but you have to try really hard not to draw attention to it. I had to talk to my younger kids and make sure they didn't tease about it.

 

Once I spoke with the doctors, my mind was eased about it, and I was able to deal with it a little better.

 

Good luck. I hope you find out what is going on.

Hot Lava Mama

[Stacy in NJ]

What if over time the tic changes to something else? I am sorry if I am hijacking, my son use to do a voice clearing sound and that went on for awhile about a year and now it is gone but instead he shrugs a shoulder and it has been going on for awhile at least a year.

Concern?

 

That's how Tourettes tics work. They shift, go away, diminish and intensify. To get a diagnosis of TS, they must have both vocal and motor tics for over a year. Really, though, there is no purpose or advantage to getting a diagnosis. Medication is only recommended for the most sever cases. I recommend a DVD called I Have Tourette's But Tourette's Doesn't Have Me. It was produced by HBO and the Tourettes Syndrome Association.