Head tilting, started a couple week ago....cause?

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My kiddo is 6. About 7 weeks ago he started tilting his head to one side. It was just a little odd, no big deal. Now its starting to affect his attention and he's running into things because he is either looking sideways or down. It increases when he is doing , something difficult (listening to directions, reading out loud, visual tracking exercises). I'm wondering if it is sensory related? Or visual? The neurologist said its probably just a tic that will go away on its own, but I'm not so sure. He hasn't had physical tics before. Anxiety usually just makes him more perseverative.

We've tried to increase sensory input, but it hasn't seemed to help yet. I've read about visual issues, but some of it sounded like it might be hokey...ambient lenses? I just don't know much about that stuff.

I feel like he has a need that is not being met. Anyone with insight, your help would be greatly appreciated!

I thought when kids did that it meant there was something up with their vision or hearing. Any kids, not just AS. Have his hearing and vision been tested recently? That's about the age I was when I started wearing glasses.

I do that when I'm feeling confused sometimes. It might be hearing or vision, or he might just like doing it.

Head tilting... like this?



Haha, sorry. Had to do that. Bemused ostrich FTW.

Yeah, it might be having to do with glasses. Or it might be that he saw one of the LOLcats doing this on the interwebs and thought it looked funny. Either way, if it's sight related try getting him checked out; if it's not, he'll learn eventually.

Incidentally, if you do get him checked out for eye problems and he needs glasses, I'd like to recommend the Transitions lenses that they advertise on TV, especially if you're in one of the Western states and/or he goes outside a lot. My primary pair of glasses have Transitions in them, they work really well commuting back and forth from college because of all the sunlight we get in Wyoming. It'll help protect his eyes without him having to keep up with another pair of sunglasses (it's all I can do to keep up with my one pair that I wear all the time.)

According to Temple Grandin that means they might have some visual sensitivities. Although she just mentioned this in passing during an interview and didn't go into great detail.

As far as I knew tilting your head to the side is an automatic reaction when you are thinking hard. That's why tilting your head to the side is the universal symbol for curiosity, or confusion (as shown by the ostrich).

I'm really not sure what it is related to, but I know my son picks up new habits here and there. Most of the time they disappear and then he picks up something new. Maybe your son just likes the way it feels to do this!! !!

It might be related to visual processing. Some people on the spectrum use their peripheral vision more than usual. This is because peripheral vision can be less intense and easier to process then direct vision. His attention to others is probably increasing when he is tilting his head because he is better able to focus on body language and how is talking.

Thanks for all the feedback!

I have a feeling its visual, but it seems like if it was it should have started a long time ago. I don't know. Can't hurt to get his eyes checked again. He got them checked last summer right before kindergarten, but they probably didn't look into everything. Just the basics.

I feel bad for him though...he's got a bad knot in his neck from it

I should also note that his language and social skills have taken a great leap too...maybe its a byproduct of it? I know he has been really picking up on more social cues and his auditory processing has been fantastic. I just wonder if it will always make his head tilt to concentrate or if it will fade as the skills become more natural.