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What Causes Intermittent Humming Sound From Child?
Question: My 4 year old daughter has started making a short humming noise during the day. I mostly notice it when she is watching tv, being read to, or a bit nervous about something. It sounds like "hm". Very short, almost like a quiet grunt. She will do it about every 5-30 seconds. I have also noticed that she sometimes swallows loudly (not while eating or drinking) and then tries to clear her throat. Though this is not as often. She seems to be unaware that she is doing it, although sometimes she will make the humming noise and look at me as if to see if I noticed. I also notice the humming noise more when she is tired. I am worried about a vocal tic or tic disorder. Does this sound like something I should have her see a specialist for?
Brief Answer:
May be useful to get her examined by a neurologist.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for posting your query.
I have noted the symptoms of your four year old daughter.
I agree that these are suggestive of vocal tics. There is no need to worry, as many children would stop having these tics on their own, as they grow up. She can also be counselled to voluntarily try stopping them.
It would be a good idea to get her examined by a neurologist to make sure that the neurological examination is within normal limits. Also, if medicines are needed or not, can be decided after neurologist's consultation.
I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.
Wishing you good health,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in
May be useful to get her examined by a neurologist.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for posting your query.
I have noted the symptoms of your four year old daughter.
I agree that these are suggestive of vocal tics. There is no need to worry, as many children would stop having these tics on their own, as they grow up. She can also be counselled to voluntarily try stopping them.
It would be a good idea to get her examined by a neurologist to make sure that the neurological examination is within normal limits. Also, if medicines are needed or not, can be decided after neurologist's consultation.
I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.
Wishing you good health,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thank you for your reply. I will schedule an appt with a neurologist. In the meantime, how do you suggest I handle the sounds? Should I ignore them or should I ask her to try to stop doing it? It could be a while before we get in to see the doctor, so I want to try to respond in a way that will not reinforce them.
Brief Answer:
Gently tell her to stop.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.
There is no need to make a big issue to her, just gently tell her once in a while, to stop doing it. Say that it does not look nice when these sounds come.
There is no urgency to meet a neurologist.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Gently tell her to stop.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.
There is no need to make a big issue to her, just gently tell her once in a while, to stop doing it. Say that it does not look nice when these sounds come.
There is no urgency to meet a neurologist.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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