Tic/habit in a toddler

Mink

I wanted to post this here as wanted to get feedback from parents who may have experienced this in the past as well as present.

My son is 2 & 8 months. Since about the age of 1 he has had this sort of tic (don't know how else to describe it).

He suddenly tenses up & makes a grimacing face and sometimes balls up his fists, he used to bite down on his fist but doesn't seem to do that anymore (probably started to hurt as he'd leave red teeth marks on his fingers!).

The above lasst for just a couple seconds and he only seems to do it when he's doing something or observing something that he finds really interesting/exciting.

I know that people look at him when he does it and wonder what the hell he is doing, I don't mind about that. But recently we were at a play centre and he was in a bus/car thing with some other kids and he made the face/gesture and one of the other kids said "he's a weird baby".

So my question is have you ever observed this in small kids and did you notice them growing out of it. I'd prefer him to grow out of it before pre-school/school but I guess there isn't a whole lot I can do about it.

For what it's worth, he has attended a review of his speech by a SLT a few times (speech is a bit delayed but he's come leaps and bounds and is now just a couple months behind his peers) & I know she has observed him doing this tic/gesture and she didn't say anything about having to send him for other behavioural assessments.

nikpmup

My lad (18mths) does something similar, he balls up the fists and sort of squeezes them tight for a few seconds, accompanied by an equally intense facial expression! I reckon it's just excitement, he usually does it when there's loads of people around and he's having the craic with them. If the SLT saw it and isn't worried, I wouldn't be too worried either - I used to chew my hair as a toddler, I don't do it now!!

cbyrd

My eldest girl did the same thing from about 14 month to over 2 years, it was hilarious! Face scrunched up, fists balled and so tense her head would shake! My dad thought it was so funny he used to encourage her til it almost became a party trick! She's 16 now and no lasting effects except some embarrassing pictures!