My nine yr old boy has weird habits should i worry?

[Janet Chun]

Up til now I never even thought about it but my son has weird habits. About a year ago he started making this sound from the back of his throat,After giving him a really hard time and asking him to quit he did. But then about two months ago he started this funny breathing, its like a fish gasping for air, well at first he said that he did it when he didnt breath good from his nose but when the cold went away he continued to do it. He claimed he wasnt doing it anymore but we continued to catch him we started calling him flipper or fish hoping he would quit.
For the most part he has but a new habit has approached.. He twiches his eye and turns his neck in the same motion. He is unaware he is even doing it. I just watch him do it over and over he says" what are you looking at" I say" what are you doing" he says "nothing" Should I be worried? His little brother has been on medicine for ADHD. Although the nine year old is a straight a student and is very smart, he is not very active like his brother. I seen something at the doctor about motor tics is it possible that is what we are up against?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It's quite likely that your son does have a tic disorder of some sort, and this warrants evaluation by a pediatric neurologist. There are a number of conditions that might result in such verbal and motor tics, among them Tourette Disorder. Have it checked out - you'll be able to help him. Try not to say things to him that might hurt his feelings. Tics are involuntary behaviors, and they cannot be entirely regulated by a person's 'will'. The saying "Where there's a will there's a way" does not apply to children who display involuntary movements or behaviors.

[momthevp]

About a year ago my son had very similar experiences.  At first we thought he had a cold, and was clearing phlegm from his throat.  But the throat clearing and eye blinking continued.  Our Pediatrician felt he had a "transient" tic disorder - meaning that the tics would come and go, but that he did not have a more serious condition such as Tourette's.  She recommended that we ignore the tics as our son could not stop them from occurring, and that we instruct others such as teachers and neighbors to do the same.  I worried so much during the past year that his condition was not simply transient. Within the last year my son has had several different tics, each waxing and waning, then disappearing for several weeks and then a new tic returning.  Well, I am happy to say that my son has been tic free now for 6 months or so.  The point I am trying to make here is this - take your Pediatrician's advice (whatever it may be), and try not to worry too much.  Also, try to help your son to not stress out over this.  Stress can and does make tics worse.  After my son was diagnosed last year, the only information I could find about tics led me to Tourette's Syndrome.  Information about simple tics was hard to come by - so, I worried needlessly and imagined the worst.  I wanted you to know that these tics are not always serious and can be easily managed.  Good luck to you and your son.

[ErinF]

You should have your son looked at by a doctor.  Ridiculing him WILL NOT help.  I can't believe some of you people are parents.  What you've done by calling him names is telling him it's OK to pick on people who are different or have odd habits.

[sturbridge]

i appreciate the answer to this womans question-i too have an 8 year old with head jerks- this is his only tick and i don't believe that it is tourettes- my older son experienced the same thing at the same age-he is nopw tick free and with my 8 year old i just ignore it- i try not to add stress in his life but right now it is at its worst and his teacher is concerned- i have decided to wait 1 more month to see what happens and then i will take him to a specialist- my older sons tick stopped when it got to it's worst stage  thanks again