My 9 year old has recently started rapid blinking periods. He blinks normal for 2,3 even 5 or 10 minutes, then blinks very rapidly like trying to clear his eyes. He's been doing this for a few months. He said he sees fine, that his eyes don't itch, that he isn't sure or aware of why he does it. His teacher said she hasn't really noticed it, nor has she noticed any seeing problems. He is an excellent reader, he reads for pleasure as well as school. He plays video games, but not excessively. He doesn't seem to struggle to see the TV or computer screen.
I first noticed it about a week after seeing an allergist. (Go figure!) He has environmental allergies, and is on a daily antihistamine (zyrtec) and a nasal spray.
No I haven't mentioned it to a doctor. It's one of those mental notes - tell the doctor when you see him - type things. Not something I feel compelled to do something about this very minute. I will take him to the doctor eventually, but was wondering if any of you have any ideas what it might be?
Dry eyes?
There are eye drops for dry eyes (not murine or anything to "get the red out"). Maybe he should try some?
If dry eye isn,t the problem (Systane lubricant eye drops is a good one), I would take your Son to a developmental/ behavioral pediatrician to rule out anything. They know SO much more than a regular pediatrician. Just Google Developmental, Behavioral Pediatricians, but search an area larger than Burleson to get a selection. Good Luck!
Has he had strep ever? If he's not had an official diagnosis of strep, please get him tested - a blood test. There is a condition called P.A.N.D.A.S. that is like rheumatic fever, only instead of the strep anitbodies attacking the heart, it attacks the basal ganglia in the brain, which controls motor movement. Lots of kids wind up with tics that are misdiagnosed as Tourette's Syndrome, but clear up when they get put on antibiotics, specifically augmentin.
My daughter has this - and it started with eye blinking, then progressed to facial tics and leg and arm chorea and mild OCD. Visit pandasnetwork.org
Th information there may seem overwhelming and way more intense than what your son is exhibiting, but please get him checked out early. The key factor of PANDAS is that one day, and you'll remember it to the minute, these little eye blinks and mild tics suddenly explode into a constant and bigger version.
And be prepared that only a few doctors are either familiar with it at all, or have heard about it but dismiss it. Particularly neurologists who will claim it's Tourette's and there's nothing to do about it except give really harsh meds with worse side effects.
Please send me a message if I can help.
Given his age, I would call the pediatrician and seek a referal to a neurologist if the pediatrician rules out other easy issues, like dry eyes and the like. It sounds like a tic to me.
M.
Probably just a twitch or something he has observed someone else doing and is becoming habit, you'l have to distract him when you catch him doing it. I remember as a tween my old brother mocking a classmate and when he would be called out on it he finally realized what he was doing and why! Good luck.
Call your allergist. He could be having tics that are worsened by the zyrtec.
Both my sons have tics and one was put on singular and the tics were 100 percent worse. Try another med.
Hi there , we are int he same boat as you, but our little one rolls or wanders his eyes to the right and/or left after the excessive blinking. We took him to the eye doc and she gave us some allergy eye drops and for us to come back in 2 months for a follow up. We have taken our son to the ped, he has had an eeg, and we are waiting on the results. I As far as any idea on what this could be, we are waiting and its hard to wait. Our little one doesn't seem to be bothered by what is going on, his personality and affect are the same. I understand how you feel as a parent.
