Is this a tic?

[riffleshell]

Here's a kind of a basic question: My PANDAS boy (11) is mostly doing well, with a few hiccups now and again. He's never had tics--at least none that I've noticed.

 

He has a new music teacher this year that he seems to really look up to. (He has previously had zero interest in music.) This music teacher is focusing on teaching the kids to drum rhythmically--bongos, whatever.

 

So my son walks around the house tapping out beats constantly. He can stop if you ask him, but he might start up again a few minutes later.It's not really a huge problem--except it can be a little annoying at times. No other signs of a flare.

 

How do I determine if this is a tic or just a new-found love of music? It's been going on for a few months.

[rowingmom]

That all sounds pretty complex to be a tic, especially if he hasn't experienced them before.

 

A tic is more subconscious, a response to a sensation (a tickling or tingling) that doesn't stop until the tic is performed - a shrug, a blink, an eye roll, a jaw stretch, a tongue protrusion, an arm crank, etc.

 

You could ask if he feels a tingling that won't stop until he drums, but it sounds like more of a compulsion or OCD thing to me.

[riffleshell]

Thanks rowingmom. That's a helpful way to think about it. If the drumming is a PANDAS symptom, it's definitely the best one we've had. I'll take this over the rages any day.

[pr40]

if he has a tendency to repeat behavior in general, this could be OCD.

if this is the only repetitive behavior, it is merely drumming.

does he fixate on things? as in not being able to let go of behavior/thought/attitude?

[dasu]

My kids have a tendency to repeat actions, noises and words. We have to be careful what they watch and who they are around. I almost feel like I am developing OCD being mindful of this fact. But as Pr40 said, I would be happy with drumming, it beats spitting noises and the like.

Edited December 8, 2014 by dasu