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Strange Noises

My daughter is in 6th grade and is making strange throat like noises since she has been in 4th grade.  It started out as a hum or if she is clearing her throat, but is now more deep as if she is swallowing air.  She is extremely nervous and anxious and has bee diagnosed with Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.  

I don't know what to do about the noises.  She is starting to loose friends and wants to hurt herself b/c she thinks she is abnormal.  Could this be tourettes?
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Avatar universal
My so started making swallowing and humming noises from the age of about 7 years.  It wasn't really obvious but got worse when he was anxious.  He was a very shy child.  I mentioned it to him a few times but didn't want to make a big thing about it so he became too self conscious.  I'm sure his friends mentioned it sometimes but they just began to accept that as part of him.  He is now 14 and much more confident - though he still sometimes does it, it's much less pronounced and doesn't happen half as often.

Your daughter could be doing this because of a disorder and tourettes does display similar symptoms.  It should be checked out if it's very pronounced and she's becoming very self-conscious about it.  

I had a friend when I was young that used to pull faces and flex her jaw muscles.  We were teens at the time and although we mentioned it a few times to her we all started to accept it and even stopped noticing it it so much because it just became a part of her.  She grew out of it and in fact I have no idea when that happened - we are still firm friends today!

Perhaps you should try and talk to her and work out what she can say to people when they mention it or ask her why she's doing that.  Just by knowing what to say instead of getting embarrased and clamming up can help.  Perhaps she should just say "It's just a tick I have and I can't help it, sorry if it bothers you" - that way people will sympathise and stop thinking there is something wrong.

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189897 tn?1441126518
COMMUNITY LEADER
    One other thing worth checking out is the AD/HD angle.  Kids with ADHD or ADD tend to be verbal learners as they have a hard time concentrating while reading or doing homework.  Kids with ADHD or ADD also become anxious as they grow older due to the increasing demands of schoolwork.  A child with ADD is less likely to be noticed then the hyper kid.  And a fairly intelligent child will get by until things like fractions and long division start in about 4th grade.  As they fall further behind what there classmates are doing, they become more and more anxious.  Here is a pretty good web site with more information - http://www.rxlist.com/attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_adhd/article.htm#tocb.
    I monitor the ADHD site on Medhelp so feel free to post there if you have any more questions.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your help too. When I mentioned her non- verbal disability, it didn't mean she doesn't talk, it means that she is a verbal learner, she doesn't pick up on the non-verbal cues we send to one another.  It is a mis-leading name, I know.  she is very talkative and social, especially in school.  Sometimes I think she talks when she is nervous!

I will, however, check out the website you mentioned.  I will do whatever at this point.  I don't want this to affect her self-astern.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the advice. I will check it out!  
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Avatar universal
Actually, making "noises" is not an uncommon behaviour of children suffering from severe anxiety.  Your quote about your daugher "She is extremely nervous and anxious and has been diagnosed with Non-Verbal Learning Disorder" makes me wonder if another term for this "disorder" might be "Selective Mutism".  The best site on the internet for information re this issue is "selectivemutism.org" and I might suggest that you begin reading the FAQ's.

When a child is severely anxious and suffering from selective mutism, he/she progresses from no speach to non-verbal communication to noises to soft voice to loud voice and finally to normal voice.  The fact your daughter is "making noises" is a good thing - she is beginning to feel more comfortable in the learning environment.  If you feel that your daughter is selectively mute, please get help as soon as possible.  SM (shortform for selective mutism) can be overcome but your daughter will require professional help.  There is lots of information on the site I mentioned which details proper and successful treatment.

Our granddaughter was selectively mute for several years at school; after professional multi-modal treatment, today she is doing well.  If you feel that I might be able to help, please do not hesitate to contact me.  All the best ....
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535822 tn?1443976780
My opinion is to have her looked at by an ENT as it could be a problem with her swallowing , it is possibly something that can be treated I can understand it would make her feel anxious,it could in fact be a nervous tic.so have her evaluated.Good luck
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