Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi everyone, My seven year old has just started to do verbal ticks. He’s been doing it for about 3 months. He makes a grunting noise all the time. It sometimes gets so bad that when I listen to him read he wouldn’t breath because he has to make the noise. I have been wracking my brain about what and why it has started. We moved him and his sister schools and that was six months ago but nothing else has changed. He is incredibly happy at school, he’s always smiling, he always wants to go to school now, since he’s been at his new school he’s a different child the difference in my son is incredible he’s so happy and confident. The more content he seems the more sensory things are popping up. I’ve spoken to school and they don’t hear it and I’ve spoken to the senco but I think she thinks if it’s not happening at school she’s not overly worried. I’ve mentioned it to him but he doesn’t even notice it. It doesn’t overly worry me (apart from the not breathing bit) but it’s the first time I’ve dealt with this. I don’t want to miss something. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Hello, I am afraid I don't have any helpful revelations or advice, just solidarity. I think this is quite common in children. My now 6 year old has has had a tick for two years now. He does a sort of throat clearing sound like he's coughing up some flem. It's pretty disgusting. we took him to the doctor as we thought he might have something wrong with his throat, but he was physically fine. doctor said that it's quite common in children this age and will most probably go away. He has been picked on a bit at school about it, but the teachers nipped that in the bud, I try not to make too much of a thing about it and tell him if it make his body feel good, then do it and have practiced what to say to his peers if anyone makes a joke about it. Sometimes he does it when he's relaxing, so I don't think it's linked to anxiety. I am just hoping he will grow out of it, like sucking his thumb!