My daughter who is almost 6 years old came home yesterday from Kindergarten with a grimacing tic. I've never seen this before and I'm a bit concerned because it's pretty constant. She is doing it today as well. Any moms out there have a similar issue going on with their kiddos?
It just started to happen yesterday, so I'm really taken a back. I asked my daughter's teacher to observe for it at school today. I haven't heard back as of yet. It looks involuntary and I usually notice it on and off when I'm talking to her. She'll make this sort of quick/repetitive closed mouth smile/grimace. Thanks everyone for your insight...I'll definitely bring it up to your pediatrician if it persists.
She is not taking any medication for any condition at this time.
I kind of did that when I was younger. I sometimes still do it when I am feeling stressed. I also tend to clench my jaw. I do not have any ADD/ADHD issues. For me now, it is a way to relax my jaw instead of clenching and it can be due to stress.
Aww your little sweet pea might be feeling stressed out. These tics are common in her age group and can be triggered by stress. Usually they go away on their own. It seems worth touching base with her doctor.
Our oldest developed a tic last year in kindergarten as well. Our DR said it is very common for this age group. The kids are stressed as they are learning to adjust to the new school routine. It's no longer play all day. They are in a more structured setting and some struggle to adapt. We were assured most tics will go away on their own without any intervention. Sure enough hers went away on it's own. However she will occasionally tic (hers is rapid blinking and a rapid head shake) if she's in a stressful situation.
I would advise you to speak with your pediatrician if it hasn't resolved itself within a week just to be on the safe side.
Peace and Blessings,
T. B
So you say it is a "tic".... because she is doing it involuntarily???
Or does she do it, on purpose? Or without even knowing?
Did her Teacher notice it?
Or speak to your Pediatrician.
My son is 6 and in 1st grade.
He recently has a new facial expression. When I ask him something like "how was school today?" he scrunches up his mouth and his eyes and he shrugs his shoulders and nonchalantly nods his head, and says "it was fine... " as though, in an adult, it would be a "its cool... no worries" type expression. Its hard to explain, but my Hubby noticed his "new" facial expression. But it is not a "tic." Its just a different way for him, to facially... express something without words.
Maybe just ask your Pediatrician... or video her doing it, in order to explain to your Pediatrician more.
Our son has ADHD and is extremely prone to tics. If I remember correctly, the doctor said tics tend to peak in all kids between 6-9 years old.
If it becomes a real problem, there are medications out there that can help the tics go away. We found they came and went on their own and varied a lot. Might be a facial tic one week and hand tic the next.
Good luck!
My 9yr old son had tics off and on from the ages of around 3yrs old through about 8yrs old. I haven't noticed anything lately...thankfully. The doctor said they are completely normal and just let it run it's course. Don't bring attention to it otherwise she'll do it more.
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Is she taking any ADHD medication by any chance? If she is, then you need to call your pediatric neurologist that oversees her ADHD care. If you don't have a pediatric neurologist, then you should call your pediatrician. It may be "just stress" but this is something that your child's healthcare professionals should be aware of and may want to examine her for.
The answer my mother would give would be, "If you keep making that face, it's going to stick like that."
It's just a phase. My kid lost a couple of bottom teeth and started to smile by thrusting out her lower jaw, "so you can see my holes better." It was obnoxious but as her new teeth are growing in, and she's less aware of those gaping holes, she's started to smile normally again.
She also went through a phase where whenever she would get upset she'd wrinkle her nose and raise up her upper lip, baring her teeth in a sort of snarl. Every time I saw it, I couldn't help but laugh, then I'd ask her whats wrong... but she'd usually forget why she was mad because she was too concerned about "what was so funny".
I'd tell her, it's hard to take her seriously when she makes such silly faces. She'd play it out for a few weeks then stop doing it.
If your daughter isn't in pain, I wouldn't worry about it.
Pretty common, as your answers say as well. Just for info... my brother developed a grimace that was very noticable, we called it "Cracking his lips" cause he would pull his whole mouth down, and stretched his lip skin tight across his teeth. He did this about 3 times a minute for extended periods. This was back in the 80's. My mother was told it was due to stress and anxiety. He was diagnosed as Hyper Active and ADHD. Was put on meds, but she decided the side effects were to severe and came up with a different method. She took him to allergists and found out he was allergic to florescent lighting, and dye in processed foods. The symptoms mimicked hyper active kids. Once she cut this out of his diet, he stopped the tics and grimaces as well.
So sometimes there is no cut and dried explanation for them, but they do tend to go away after a time. Its never a bad idea to get a pediatrician involved to rule out anything else.
Tics- a twitch, spasm, or or vocal spasm due to twitches in muscles.
Something is directly affecting the nervous system for that to happen.
From my medical research I do know that there is a condition in the body in which in can be in a constricted state. In this state, typically the hormone called cortisol (which helps someone deal with stress) is affected (too high). This causes CELLULAR potassium to be low. Potassium is a relaxer of muscle. In fact, those high hormones cause low potassium, low magnesium (also a relaxer) low calcium, low vit b, low zinc. .Vitamin b directly affects the nervous system as well. It is created in our gut, by gut bacteria which eats and excretes vit B. Those who have had antibiotics or have high stomach acid from high cortisol will have lowered vit b levels. I do liquid vit b12, and liquid b complex under the tounge, also Magnesium malate or citrate. Potatoes, bananas, and potassium supps. That should help relax the nervous system.
Also, these conditions can cause tics because these all affect the central nervous system or neurotransmitter functions:
*Steroids (manmade cortisol hormone)
*parasites
*carbon monoxide
*drugs-certainly stimulants and amphetamine type drugs... antipsychotic drugs....(for schitzophrenia, etc)
drugs that cause serotonin increases (ADD /aspergers drugs) which cause serotonin syndrome- a type of poisoning to the CNS which will cause tics.
*autism itself which can be directly related to adrenal hormone secretion malfunction
*Huntington's disease
*Wilson's disease (the high copper affects muscle ridgidity.)
*encephalitis
*bacterial infection from strep
*tourettes
* 'possibly' could caused also by blood sugar dysregulation which will affect the CNS. Low blood sugar can cause adrenaline surges. adrenaline gets the body ready for flight or fight- nerves are constricted, hands may shake, etc....
