Oral Overflow

When I was a child, my mum often caught me with the tip of my tongue peeking out of my mouth when I was concentrating hard on something – writing, solving a sum, cutting paper…
Funny thing is, I see C2 doing the same thing now.
Do you do it too?

It’s called Oral Overflow or Motor Overflow.
These unconscious movements and expressions are things you wouldn’t do normally (but not to be confused with Tourette’s Syndrome). In fact, you don’t even realise you’re doing it until someone points it out to you. Biting your lower lip when you’re thinking hard, grimacing when you’re playing a sport, biting your nails when you’re nervous before an exam…

We do it from the time we’re babies. Even basketball legend Michael Jordan was famous for sticking out his tongue as he slam dunked.

But in some cases, people with neurological impairments exhibit strong signs of motor overflow. This is seen in children with autism, Aspergers, ADHD, etc. In these cases, the person with special needs cannot cope with the overwhelming emotions around them and this spills over and is seen in their excessive motor movements.

P.S. Whatever you do, do NOT, I repeat, do NOT Google “oral overload”.

Do you have any tics like a restless leg? Do you have any habits, tics and expressions that have come down through your parents?