Blinking your eyes is a completely natural reflex action that everyone does every day without even thinking about it. Sometimes, a child will blink excessively, which may cause alarm in parents. According to a 2001 study from Baylor College of Medicine, most instances of excessive blinking in children are harmless. Some other reasons are not so harmless, and it is best to consult your doctor if you notice your child blinking a lot more than normal.
Habitual Tics
Often, when a child blinks his eyes more than normal, it is nothing to worry about. It is simply a habitual facial tic that is part of his genetic make-up for one reason or another. Providing a non-stressful environment for the child can reduce the frequency and lifespan of a facial tic, according to the MedlinePlus website.
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette syndrome is a disorder characterized by repeating words or sounds and developing different body tics, including eye blinking. If a child is afflicted with Tourette syndrome, blinking and other tics usually begin between 3 and 10 years of age, according to FamilyDoctor.org. A small percentage of Tourette sufferers will have a problem with uncontrollably shouting out obscenities.
Dystonias
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke refers to a dystonia as a specific movement disorder that results in sustained muscle contractions in different parts of the body. One example is when both eyes blink fast and without control, which would leave the child functionally blind.
Epilepsy
According to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine, 25 percent of epilepsy cases develop prior to the age of 5. Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by seizures. One form, called "occipital lobe epilepsy," can produce visual auras and hallucinations, with rapid blinking of the eyes.
References
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Excessive Eye Blinking In Childhood--A Prospective Evaluation of 99 Children
- Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine: Epilepsy
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Dystonias Fact Sheet
- FamilyDoctor.org: Tics and Tourette Syndrome in Children
- MedlinePlus: Facial Tics
