Eye blinking is part of a larger class of movement disorders called tics. These are repetitive movements---including twitches, grimaces and even throat clearing---that a person is unable to control and sometimes unaware of. Simple tics tend to be brief and involve just one or two muscle groups. Complex tics are movement patterns that involve a larger number of muscle groups. For example, a child who blinks and grimaces at the same time exhibits a complex tic.
Transient Tic Disorder
Eye blinking may be the result of a common childhood phenomenon called transient tic disorder. This is a benign condition that usually goes away on its own within a few months. The cause is unknown, but stress appears to worsen the condition, so it's best not to express worry about the tic or comment when your child exhibits it, because this will only add to her stress. When blinking first occurs, however, it is difficult for a parent to know if the condition is benign or if it is a symptom of a more serious condition, so consult your pediatrician for advice.
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette syndrome is a tic disorder that includes eye blinking. A child with this condition may exhibit different types of tics, including sounds like moaning and clicking, but not always simultaneously. The onset of tic symptoms usually occurs between the ages of 3 and 10 and may be sporadic. In most cases, the tics disappear after several months, but it's not unusual for them to last for several years. The tics typically are the worst between the ages of 9 and 13 years, and they often improve through the teen years and into early adulthood. More than 50 percent of children with Tourette syndrome have no tics in their adult lives, according to FamilyDoctor.org.
Chronic Tic Disorder
A very small percentage of children---fewer than 2 percent---suffer from chronic tics that do not disappear in the short term, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. These children often feel an abnormal sensation in the area of the tic before it occurs. If your child's eye blinking is related to this disorder, he may tell you that his eyes feel funny or he feels like he's going to blink. Once the child carries out the movement associated with the tic, she typically feels some form of relief. Unlike transient tics, chronic tics may occur during sleep. Stress, fatigue, excitement and even heat may worsen the symptoms. If your child develops this disorder between the ages of 6 and 8, MedlinePlus explains that he is likely to experience symptoms for four to six years, but the tics likely will stop on their own during his teen years. If your child develops the condition at an older age, she is more likely to have the tic throughout her adult life.
Rett Syndrome
If your baby begins to display an unusual amount of blinking or closing one eye at a time, he may have a rare genetic condition called Rett syndrome. This condition very rarely affects boys. Typically, symptoms do not present until the age of 6 to 18 months. In addition to eye blinking, your baby may lose interest in toys and her eye contact with you may decline. This condition is very serious and later may involve the loss of speech and hand control. Typically, children experience improvement in eye and hand control between the ages of 2 and 10 years.
Treatment
In many cases, the eye blinking tic requires no medical intervention. Efforts to relieve stress, which may include changes in family routine or after-school activities, usually are helpful. Counseling also may help your child to cope with stress. If the blinking becomes disruptive to your child's schoolwork or other functions, your pediatrician may prescribe a drug such as fluphenazine or pimozide to block the neurotransmitter dopamine. If your child has Tourette syndrome, your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant to help control the obsessive compulsive disorder associated with the tics. Another option is botulinum toxin, or Botox, injections in the eye area to control the tic. If the tic is disruptive and other treatments have not been successful, your pediatrician may recommend deep brain stimulation.
