Advice on random tics/noises

[JLT77]

10 y/o son with ADHD. Doing well, making good progress since diagnosis last year. Anyone have advice for intermittent tics/noises.

[Aspen797]

Tics entirely unrelated to stimulants can occur with adolescence, peaking between 11-13. Many persons with tics also have ADD, they often co-occur. Some individuals can also have tics that are exacerbated (some say caused) by stimulant use/particular types of stimulants. Good to check in with your child’s psychiatrist about possibly switching up medications and/or adding guanfacine which helps diminish many side effects. Since tics are involuntary, there’s not much that can be done behaviorally on the parents/kids end.

[Klmamma]

Agreed. It could be a side effect of the stimulants or being made worse by them. My son is now 6. When he was 3 we noticed he would adjust himself alot when nervous, usually during social situations. At 4 it moved onto him twirling the front of his hair when nervous, at 6 he occasionally makes this throat clear noise and in the last two weeks has started smelling his hands like Mary Chatherine Gallagher🤦‍♀️.

We read The Bad Habbit by Bearentstein Bears where she chews her finger nails and it resonated with him a little bit. I realize that book is way too young for your child. We do discuss the tic and try and talk about how he is feeling when he does it and it's usually anxiety based. We try to have him do something less distracting. The adjusting himself tic was awkward and hard to address bc of his age, I was so glad when he outgrew that one. I just don't want him teased or unwittingly annoying those around him by his tics.

[JLT77 in reply to Klmamma]

Thank you both for replying!!My son has has these on and off tics even before he was diagnosed or on any meds. His first med definitely made them worse so we switched to a non stimulant. They reduced and he is doing well on the new med but they still seem to come and go. I also am worried that he will get teased or cause some form of distraction during in person school. (so wierd to say that "in person school")

🤪 There is no rhyme or reason to his noises and I have tried to re-direct him, take a deep breath but he just getsfrustratedd with me. In the past if we just ignored them they faded away. Like I said before I just worry about school as his teacher last year did mention the tics and yelling out . Stay safe and have a Happy New Year

🥰

[Elijah1]

If treatment for tics is needed, consider trying Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Tics or habit reversal therapy, which can be helpful and is a behavioral and not a medication treatment.

[Klmamma]

I forgot to mention, we do Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well and it is the best thing we have ever done, even better than medication in our case. She really gave him the tools, even at 6, to be more self reflective. We still have issues with focus and the occasional meltdown, but overall, he is much much better.

Yelling out... maybe discuss this with a psychiatrist. Perhaps there is something else going on like tourette's or some OCD that can be addressed.

A church members son has some tics and even as an adult it was distracting during our class, but I get it. Kids aren't always as understanding of others idiosyncrasies.

[ADHD_DAD]

Hi. My son has intermittent tics as well. Had them before the diagnosis of ADHD. Actually, ADHD was not much on my radar (I was unfamiliar with inattentive ADHD then). I took him to a trusted pediatric neurology friend for potential Touret' syndrome at which time he was diagnosed with ADHD. So, meds didn't cause the tics but some meds made them worse as does stress. My approach (which is how I approach most things with him) is to try to make him be comfortable with himself and have good self esteem. We are all quirky and that's a good thing. Most men realize too late that the secret to success at almost everything is confidence a.d good self esteem. So, that's where I focus. He knows that I think he is great exactly the way he is, tics, quirks, weirdness and all. So encourage your son to wave his freak flag! Happiness and success comes from feeling good about oneself not from how you think others view you. That's a game that none of us can win, so why play..

So, the noises and tics may or may not be ADHD, but they are your son and I bet he is a great kid and that those quirks are part of what make him the unique, special kid he is. If he feels good about his quirky self, he will be ok. Be well and Happy New Year.

[anirush]

Both my daughter and her son had this periodically. My daughters went away on medication. My grandsons went away with age. My grandson is to make a whistling noise under his breath. I really don't think he was aware that he was doing it. It would drive teachers crazy. Changing medications and maturing helped with that.

[JLT77]

Thank you all for your helpful info.