When one of my sons is focusing hard he chews on something \u2013 often his T-shirt collar or his earbuds. Another cracks his knuckles. These habits drive me nuts! For much of second grade, my daughter flicked her fingers in a repetitive motion. This flick, flick, flick was a tic that worried me \u2013 \u201cWas something more wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
All of us have some \u201cbad\u201d habits \u2013 even children. Nail-biting, lip-licking, hair twirling, or thumb-sucking seem designed to make parents worry and nag. The worry is unnecessary and nagging won\u2019t help! Habits like these are very common\u00a0and even normal \u2013 they often serve a self-soothing or calming purpose for the child. But they usually go away in just a few months, if ignored.<\/p>\n
Try these tips to manage habits:<\/p>\n
Another frequent childhood occurrence are tics. These are rapid and repeated involuntary movements, most often of the face or neck, that a child is unaware of and unable to control. They can include eye blinking, shoulder shrugging, grimaces, sniffing, neck twisting, grunts, or throat clearing. They\u2019re present during the day and usually disappear during sleep. Most children outgrow tics.<\/p>\n
How do you tell the difference between tics and habits? Tics are \u201cstereotyped\u201d \u2013 the movement or sound is exactly the same each time. Also, tics cannot be controlled \u2013 or not for long. Habits can be controlled by the child.<\/p>\n
Your child may be worried or get teased about having a tic and want to talk about it with you. They may want to understand why this is happening to them since they can\u2019t control it.<\/p>\n
Try these tips to help your child with tics:<\/p>\n
If tics make your child self-conscience, affect relationships with others, cause physical harm, or last more than a year, talk to your pediatrician. If there are multiple tics occurring over a year, like sniffing and head turning with vocalizations, your child may have a more severe tic disorder called Tourette syndrome.<\/p>\n
Also contact your child\u2019s pediatrician if you:<\/p>\n
Both tics and habits can get worse during times of stress. Explore whether there is underlying stress for your child by talking with them about whether anything is going on at school, such as:<\/p>\n
Sometimes habits and tics that start under stressful situations may continue even after the stress is removed. The good news is that most will still self-resolve if gently addressed and mostly ignored.<\/p>\n
My Doctor Online
\nTics and Tic Disorders<\/a>
\nTics in Children: Online Class<\/a>
\nStress Management Resources<\/a><\/p>\n