Many parents observe their child producing clicking noises. These sounds are common during childhood and can arise from various bodily functions and developmental stages. While some clicking sounds are a typical part of a child’s growth and exploration, others might indicate an underlying issue that warrants attention. Understanding the potential sources helps parents differentiate between benign occurrences and those that might require professional insight.
Oral Causes of Clicking Sounds
Clicking sounds often originate from a child’s mouth and oral structures, particularly during feeding. A common reason for these sounds is a restricted tongue, often referred to as tongue-tie or ankyloglossia, which occurs when the tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth is unusually short. This restriction can hinder the tongue’s mobility, making it difficult for a baby to maintain a proper seal during breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, leading to a clicking sound as suction is broken. An improper latch or feeding technique can also cause air intake and subsequent clicking noises, regardless of whether a tongue-tie is present. A baby’s mouth needs to form a secure seal to effectively transfer milk, and a poor latch disrupts this process.
Pacifier use or thumb-sucking can sometimes result in clicking sounds. Aggressive sucking can create a popping noise when the pacifier or thumb is removed from the mouth due to the negative pressure created. Children exploring new sounds and movements with their mouths as part of developing speech and oral motor skills might also inadvertently produce clicking sounds. These explorations are a normal part of their language development, where they experiment with tongue and mouth positions. Weak tongue strength, also known as oral motor hypotonia, can also contribute to clicking sounds during feeding by making it difficult for the baby to maintain suction.
Joint and Musculoskeletal Sources
Clicking sounds can also arise from a child’s joints, with the jaw being a frequent source. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the jaw to the skull, can produce clicking or popping sounds when a child opens or closes their mouth. This can be due to developing jaw structures, alignment variations, or sometimes associated with habits like teeth grinding (bruxism) or clenching. Stress and anxiety can also contribute to teeth grinding, which in turn can lead to TMJ issues. While often benign in children, persistent jaw clicking accompanied by pain or limited movement may warrant further investigation.
Beyond the jaw, other joints in a child’s body, such as knees, ankles, and shoulders, can also make clicking or popping noises. These sounds are generally harmless and common in babies and toddlers, often attributed to developing ligaments and tendons. The soft tissues (tendons) interacting with hard tissues (bones) can create these sounds, similar to the sound of knuckles cracking. Unless these joint clicks are accompanied by pain, swelling, or a noticeable limitation in movement, they are typically considered a normal part of a child’s musculoskeletal development. However, a “clunk” sound in the hips, rather than a click, should be evaluated by a pediatrician to rule out conditions like congenital hip dislocation.
Behavioral and Developmental Factors
Children, particularly during their toddler years, frequently experiment with sounds as a part of their vocal and oral motor development. They might make clicking noises as they explore the capabilities of their vocal cords and mouth to create new sounds. This experimentation is a normal and important step in developing speech and language skills, allowing them to understand how different mouth movements produce various sounds. These playful sounds indicate a child’s growing awareness of their oral motor control and their ability to manipulate air and tongue positions to produce specific acoustic effects. It is often a sign of healthy development as they learn to control their oral musculature.
Sometimes, children develop habitual noises, including clicking, which can become a learned behavior or a form of self-soothing. These repetitive sounds might serve as a way for a child to filter sensory input, such as when they are overstimulated or understimulated. For instance, a child might use a mouth noise to create an internal filter that helps them process their environment or manage internal sensations. This can be a subconscious way to regulate their sensory experience.
In some instances, clicking or other noises might be used by a child to gain attention. Observing when and why these noises occur can provide insight into whether they are a means of communication, a form of self-regulation, or a learned behavior for interaction.
When to Consult a Professional
While many clicking sounds in children are benign, certain signs indicate that professional evaluation may be beneficial. Parents should consider consulting a healthcare provider if clicking is accompanied by pain, discomfort, or signs of distress in the child. Difficulty feeding, such as poor weight gain, prolonged feeding times, or signs of inefficient milk transfer, particularly when accompanied by clicking, warrants attention. For joint-related clicking, limited range of motion, swelling, or persistent pain in the affected joint are important red flags.
The frequency and intensity of the clicking also provide clues. If the clicking is constant, unusually loud, or seems to be increasing in occurrence, it may be more concerning than occasional sounds. Furthermore, if the clicking interferes with a child’s daily life, such as affecting their ability to feed effectively, sleep soundly, engage in social interactions, or impacting their overall development, professional guidance is recommended. These disruptions suggest a potential underlying issue that could benefit from intervention.
Parents typically start by consulting their pediatrician, who can provide an initial assessment and recommend appropriate specialists. Depending on the suspected cause, referrals might include:
- Lactation consultant for feeding issues.
- Speech-language pathologist for oral motor concerns or speech development.
- Dentist or orthodontist for jaw or dental alignment.
- Orthopedist for musculoskeletal concerns.
Keeping a detailed log of when the clicking occurs and any associated symptoms can be valuable information to share with the professional during the consultation. This record can help in accurately diagnosing the cause and determining the most suitable course of action.