Tic or something else?

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

I did a google search and also searched MDC for "excessive blinking in toddlers". What I came up with mostly is that tics (And more often then not, excessive eye blinking tics) are actually pretty common in kids my sons age.

This started in my 2.5 year old Sunday morning! Out of nowhere, he just started blinking his eyes excessively. He does it randomly throughout the day, quite a bit when he is trying to focus on something far away. Im starting to regret ever allowing tv in the house . Anyhoo, he does not rub them, they are not red, but still tear fine (He bonked his head last night and cried, so it isnt that they are dry I THINK) He doesnt ever complain of his own accord. But if you ask him what is wrong with his eyes, he says "I dunno, it hurts". but he says it very matter-of-factly, as if just to say it. Not that they actually hurt, am I making sense?

So. I am holding off calling the doctor (we JUST went through a bought of viruses LAST WEEK with both of them) he was tested for strep last week, and he hasnt been complaining about anything really. No tummy aches, not booboos anywhere (meaning in the mouth or ears).

I guess I am just looking for reassurance that waiting for about a week to see if it improves or atleast doesnt get worse is the right course of action.

[tanyalynn]

You could wait, but since this is coming on the heels of an illness, if it were either of my kids, I'd probably look at the nutrients that are sometimes related to tics, IIRC magnesium and B6 (probably a B complex). My kids tend to run low on other nutrients, but they've had a few illnesses now where either the illness itself got worse because they were borderline on a few nutrients, or they started showing symptoms that were due to being low.

I'd think a mag supp (w/o calcium) and a good quality multivit would fit the bill if that's the way you want to go.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

I have an almost full bottle of Animals on Parade multi vitamins. I tried giving it to him about 6 months ago, and he wouldnt take them. I could try giving him those again, but what if he wont eat them? How do you get a 2.5 year old to take something they dont like?

[tanyalynn]

Serious question? I gave tons of supps to my son at that age, DD was a bit older, so I had to problem-solve this, took quite a bit of trial-and-error.

Easiest way, albeit it requires a new purchase, is to buy a multivit and a magnesium that are in capsules (we use a lot of Thorne products, available everywhere online), open the capsule, and put the powder between two layers of applesauce, it's done in one bite. I'd do the multi in the morning and the mag after dinner.

My kids didn't like our chewable multivit that much, but we talked and slowly worked up to eating the whole thing--I didn't feel it was optional given the health problems I'm working on.

For magnesium, you could try Natural Calm, it's a flavored powder, a lot of kids seem to like it, seems to be available at most HFSs.

Bvits don't tend to taste great, but if you buy a stand-alone B complex, a small amount can be hidden in a small amount of strong-flavored juice, say 1-2 T of black cherry juice, again, taken more like medicine than a regular beverage.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Originally Posted by tanyalynn

Serious question?

Dead serious.

Thanks for the tips. Im not nearly as good about vitamins as I should be. I try to get as much through natural foods as possible. Thank you SO MUCH!

[mamefati28]

my ds who is 3 was doing this and it was allergies/sinus related. I googled and got tics as well. His were not red or had any other symptoms of irritation.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

We were thinking possibly allergies too, which run on both sides, especially my husbands side. I was just surprised at how much Tic info I got when googled.

[mamefati28]

It was shocking how much tic related stuff came up from google.
Ours is totally related to sinus pressure/infection, etc.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Originally Posted by mamefati28

It was shocking how much tic related stuff came up from google.
Ours is totally related to sinus pressure/infection, etc.

I know right!!! And all I typed in was, "Why is my toddler blinking his eyes?". So I in no way insinuated I thought it MIGHT be tics. Is it really that common? I got the same thing when I did a search at MDC with the same criteria. They were from 2005, but still, that is all I got.

His DCP (I LOVE HER!) sent a note home for me yesterday (Shes there most of the day, but leaves before I get there to pick him up) saying that she just kept a watchful eye on his yesterday, but never asked him about it or said anything to him about it. She noticed that he does it when he is concentrating on something. I.e. reading a book or doing a puzzle. But when he is just straight up playing, he doesnt do it. So I wonder if it is dryness. I know when my contacts get old or my allerigies act up, after I am concentrating on something for a few minutes, my eyes tend to dry up, and I have to do exactly what hes been doing. I am going to wait about a week to call the doctor, as long as it doesnt get worse or he starts having other symptoms.

[pianojazzgirl]

My 5 yr old did this for a while when she was around 2.5 or 3 (I forget). I'd say for about a month. And then she stopped. I never figured out why. I remember questioning her and she said it didn't hurt and she could see fine, etc. She couldn't/wouldn't tell me why she was doing it. Maybe it was just to check out how the world looks when you blink a lot???

Anyway, not sure if that's helpful for you at all, but at least know someone else has BTDT (and it went away on it's own).

Also - our HFS has gummy B vits. Not sure how they taste, but anyway.... And you might want to check out the "Cell Salts" thread. I've never used them myself but was intrigued. Sounds like they help your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals it needs.

ETA my dd also never did it when playing - just when sitting looking at books etc. I was just getting to the point of feeling like a dr's visit was necessary when she spontaneously stopped doing it.