I have a 5 year old who for the past 6 weeks has been doing nothing but constantly sniffling (even though his nose is dry) and clearning his throat. It's driving us all crazy. Could these be signs of tourettes or tics, I haven't noticed any gross motor issues or fine motor issues, just the vocal?
My eight year old son has had the same problem for several years. It took a long time to get it under control because it would come and go and all sorts of times. It actually started when he was an infant with coughing spasms in the middle of the night. Never any nasal issues at that time. When he was in preschool the chronic sniffing started. He was tested for allergies (all negative). He never had a runny nose but was sniffing all of the time and coughing like he had a "tickle" in his throat. His pediatrician diagnosed him with non-allergic rhinitis and put him on Nasonex. He also tested him for asthma with a peak flow meter. His reading was low. He has never had an asthma attack or any sort of weazing. He has "cough variant asthma". He was now takes Advair twice daily. He started both of these in May and he is like a different child.
There was a time about a year ago that I was convinced he had tourrettes (sp?) or tics, because he was sniffing & coughing all the time and he wasn't sick!
When he did get a cold however, the symtpoms would seem so much worse than my other son's. That's when I started thinking that he must be really sensitive to nasal congestion/post nasal drip etc. His pediatrician had prescribed nasal sprays before, but I really didn't give them a chance to work. I couldn't understand how a drug for allergies would help my son who apparently didn't have allergies. I'm glad I finally gave it a chance to work.
Sorry to get off the subject so much. I understand why you would be concerned about Tourrettes though. Do you remember anything that may have triggered the start of the sniffing/coughing? Did he have a cold?
Hopefully your son is just going through a stage and it will resolve itself. Let me know if I can help, I know how frustrating it can be!
my daughter's first vocal tic made us think she has an allergy or sinus problem, it sounded like she was trying to clear her throat. she went through all kinds of allergy test and was not allergic to anything. finally, after a year of tests, my sons ped. dr. said (after i described it to him) "has she been tested for tourettes? that is what is sounds like", my mouth dropped opened, because her uncle has tourettes, and no dr. had even mentioned it because it is rare for females to have it. but this dr. didn't knw that her uncle had it, my daughter is one of nine grandaughter and there are no grandsons, so she was the one in 10 that inherited the gene, isthere anyone in your family or your sons father's that has had tourettes, or tics? if you find a good dr. he will pick up on it. let me know if you need more help.
It might just be allergies that doesnt sound like tourettes to me I use to do this as a child alot and my mom would yell at me to stop but I couldnt.. It stopped for a long time then about two years ago started up again and thats what it turned out to be was allergies and I had the same symptoms.
My son is 7 and he just went and saw an allergy specialist , he said he is having problems breathing, which we knew, he has allergies, and put him on flovent twice in the morning and twice at night, and nasonex in the morning and night, he has been on this for a week now and yesterday evening began a vocal tic, he is clearing his throat and saying hmm, hmm. could this be from the medication, he has been on flovent before but never on nasonex,, i am really scared it is tourettes, or is it side affects from the meds, the pharmacy and my physician said that is weird, but the allergy specialist hasnt phoned back yet, i am terrified... ????
