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The dreaded squeaking tic

Hi everyone, I am normally able to mask most of my tics so that people do not really notice I have them. For instance, instead of randomly squatting, I’ll squat down to pick something up, or if I need to stick my finger in my belly button, I just pretend to itch it. But how do you disguise a squeaking tic?

My Tourette’s wants me to scream, but I just push out a squeak that feels like a scream. I’ve never had a tic like this. Some of my tics can be loud, such as coughing and clapping, but this one is high-pitched and annoying.

A few weeks ago, when it first started, I was squeaking, and my brother asked my dad if the noises were coming from our dog. My dad replied, “No, that’s your sister.” Sounds kind of weird, huh? Being compared to a squealing dog?

I was sitting in an office chair a few days after that, and I was squeaking. My brother then asked if it was my chair making the noise. So… now I’ve been compared to a dog and a chair. It’s a bit funny once you think about it. Funny, but still annoying. You know how people say, “I’m so overwhelmed, I need to just scream into a pillow!”? Well, for me, I really do need to scream!

Do you ever think about what us people with Tourette Syndrome look like to people who don’t have it? I’ve been thinking about it, and I get how our disorder seems so strange and hard to understand. We must be patient while raising awareness, because not everyone in our lives will accept us. Thanks for reading, and stay strong!

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EmmaO

25 Comments

  1. I’m so happy I’m not the only one I feel so less alone. It’s been a way that I Clear my throat I guess. My family used to make fun of me for the squeaking noise for years they’ve stopped a lot recently bc I think they know how much I can’t help it. I do it alot sometimes like 4 times in a row within a minute. It hurts my head sometimes honestly if I do it alot in a row. It’s really bad when I am stressed. It’s been an on and off thing for years and it’s sucks because I feel the NEED to do it it like hurts my brain and my throat if I don’t for some reason. I feel like it’s been going on for so long I don’t even know how to stop. In school I could always feel people looking at me when I did and I know they were probably so confused but I never really talked about it, my friends had even made fun of it at one point in front of me and it made me so upset I had to go into the bathroom and cry. That was a while ago and my noise doesn’t bother me as much now but I definitely think about how people are probably wondering if there’s a dog running around

  2. Omg.. I just found this. My 10y/o just one day started randomly making almost a squeak/chirpy noise. I had asked her if she was doing it intentionally or if she couldn’t control it. She told me she was doing it because she was excited. But last night came to me and said she can’t which I had assumed she couldn’t from the start. And now here I am wondering do I take her to the pediatrician, ignore it? I have no idea any advice would be helpful.

  3. I just developed this tic my parents don’t realize I can’t control it :/

  4. Wow I thought I was alone… one of my more recently common tics is scrunching up my nose, winking my right eye, and making a quiet squeaking noise all at once.

  5. Hi my name is Lola and I have been squealing for as long as I can remember and I am currently 14! I clench my fists, scrunch my face and my neck severely tenses and I squeal whilst doing this. I have no control over it but once I have squealed there is a feeling of tension released throughout my body and sometimes I squeal every couple hours and others every minuet for a long period of time. People often ask me what’s wrong and i honestly can’t explain it my self!

  6. I’ve been trying to find out why I make squeaking sounds in my throat, it’s been going on for a couple years now and I hav not been diagnosed with Tourette’s. Or any disorder that has tics but it’s like a feeling I HAVE to get out, my whole chest will feel weird and feel like I can’t breathe. After that I squeak and go hhiihh and make weird breathing sounds in my throat but the feeling never really goes away, it gets really annoying sometimes but I have to do it?? Also to add to things I do I have been cracking my shoulder for two years straight and not like you crack your back every once in awhile like until it’s super sore and I have a roaring headache and I don’t wanna crack it but I just feel like I have to! And it hurts so bad…I want to go to a back doctor to see if it’s that but I don’t know. This does kind of explain the squeaking issue but it may still not be the solution..I need to get this stuff checked out..

  7. I squeak ALL the time, and minimum every two hours or something. Its been going on for 10 months, and i’ve had people ask me all the time what is wrong with me. I’ve been joking its a disorder, but I’ve been doing some research, and I think I do have a tic disorder. I don’t really think I have tourretes, but I’m not too sure. I think my younger has a couple of tics too, because she does a lot of repetitive things with her face. I involuntary shake or rock a lot, most of the time without realizing until someone tells me to stop. as everyone else has said, I thought I was the only one too, but I’m glad someone else is going through the same thing. SInce i’m only a teen, maybe I’ll grow out of it, but who knows.

  8. It’s really weird. When I was 10,I couldnt stop squeaking while making a certain expression. It annoyed everybody but I thought I was the only one

  9. After reading all of your stories and personal struggles with this disorder, I’m certain my 15 year old daughter has it. She squeeks, as well. She started squeeking at 12 and quickly picked up this odd littlle nose twitch. I didn’t understand what she was doing or why. I’m ashamed to admit that it irritated me and I just wanted it to stop already. I suppose I thought she was doing it for attention, an idea that just seems ridiculous now. When she came to me and said that she was pretty sure that she had Tourettes, I was quick to dismiss her theory and told her to seriously knock off all the Tourettes talk. What a total a-hole parent. Recently, I was driving around with her in the car and noticed a new tic had started. She was suddenly humming a strange little Melody while we were having a discussion. I finally saw the distress on her beautiful little face and it was apparent that she couldn’t control it AT ALL. If anyone has any experience with breathing exercises, I’d appreciate any information or recommendations. Thanks.

  10. My 7 year old son has been squealing every day for 4 years at least, at first I found it annoying and thought he was just attention seeking but I have just been told by psychologist he may have Tourette’s syndrome and the squealing and strange facial expressions are symptoms. I now feel at ease knowing he has a reason other than trying to irritate me. Feel bad for being annoyed in past :(

    • please watch close for a parasite. my 7 year old gets the squeak tics. after 10 or more doctors and 2 years we finally were able to pinpoint it to a parasite in his lower intestines. we can now control it completely. only during the full moon does he squeak anymore. I know it sounds crazy. but this is about children’s health. I had to share my experience.

      • I am wondering how is your son doing now? I am curious because my daughter is having this same gut issue. What kind of treatment did u put him through to treat his parasites in lower abdomen.

  11. im 13 years old and in middle school i had turrets syndrome ever since i was born it was genetically passed down to me from my father when i was little i would make a short humming sound and it was not very noticeable then the tics went away and i didn’t do them any more then a couple years ago they came back worse than ever i LOVE horses so then i found myself doing a horse neigh i like the sound of it then i started losing my voice and then the screeches started to get more high piched now it feels like a scream but its not, i have learned to do it more quietly but people usually hear me and tell me to quit it then i have to explain to them that i have a condition and it cannot be stopped. i have not been bullied thank god but people still think that i am weird especially when we are doing a test and i am in a silent room i have to try and hold it in for 45 minuted but it doesn’t go well my science teacher looks at me all weird and i just look away not bothering to tell her that i have turrets i really hope things get better for me.

  12. God I also have the squeaking tic. I haven’t been diagnosed with Tourette’s but I do have other tics such as uncontrollably shaking my leg and sometimes my whole body. When my body shakes its more like rocking. Both of these things are incredibly embarrassing and I’m glad I’m not alone.

  13. Heya! Im Briana! I have a weird squeaking tic, i have no idea what it is, its just, it ges like this
    *squeaks*
    *everyone giggles and starts talking about you*
    Awww cute! *best friend says*
    *holds in next squeak*
    *starts breathing weird*
    *friend becoming concerned* you ok, bri?
    *eyes widen takes deep breath* AAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHH *tiny squeak*
    *teacher gives me crazy eyes* you ok?
    *me with my eyes closed listening to everyones jump scare*yeah…
    *someone laughs*

    This really happenrd and i hated it. I get compared to a litten all of the time…

  14. Damn. And there i thought i was the only one doing “the squeak”. after reading this i read some more about TS (since i never heard of it) and it seems like i do have it. I can remember squeaking since i was 8. Im freaking 20 now! And just realized. I do have some more ticks though like shaking my hands as if i got electrocuted and some facial stuff is going too. Yet the the squeak is what i have been doing the longest time. Hm.
    I do get equal responses like you guy’s. :/
    atleast i know its nothing worse but a tick. WellP i feel the urge to share my analysis of this tick:
    ~Its most intense when im frustrated or stressed(does happen sometimes until i fall asleep)
    ~Its not happening at all when I am focusing on something.(though other ticks like facials like blinking do)
    ~Happens mildly when im relaxing.

    Well, im feeling better having found this discussion, quite the years have past
    Untill i found out about it.Aaaanyway,
    Stay strong ;)

  15. I squeak weirdly and as far as I know I don’t have Tourette’s Syndrome. I’m 15 and I have been doing it for two years. People always think there’s a cat in the room. It feels almost like a hiccup, but it kind of hurts. I also shake a lot after I do it. Do you think this could be a tick? I have been asked if I have Tourettes and my ten year old sister does.

    • It is hard to say for sure but we do know that TS runs in families. Give NJCTS a call at 908-575-7350 for more information and to take advantage of support services.

  16. Just embrace the differences- Social acceptance or non-acceptance of it is the issue. It is not dangerous or a harbinger of any progression of TS. Some meds may be of benefit but not usually. Try to have some medical bracelet etc with your DX on it so that when in a social situation where the authority (Theater, Classroom, etc) thinks you are volitionally doing it. you can point out your dx on your medical bracelet. The stereotype of TS with the cursing and outbursts being managed as a squeak will then be viewed as you actually doing a GREAT job in how you are handling the symptoms. (Just my thoughts but I actually don’t have TS).

  17. My son is 10 with Tourettes and ADHD. . He was diagnosed Tourettes this past summer. He has the squeaky tics but now its worse. He now has to do it in between words. Nothing works for him. Strattera I tried but that just makes his stomach hurt. Concerta doesn’t help either. What do you suggest? Any help is greatly appreciated.

  18. My son is 11 and has Aspergers and Tourettes. He has recently developed this same tic. At first, I thought he was being silly and told him to knock it off. He’s a bit of a clown so it was a fair assumption. He told me it was a new tic. I feel so bad for him because I know that most people just don’t understand and think he’s just being disruptive. For now, we are homeschooling. So, perhaps that will make things a little easier for him.

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