Link between Hiccups and Talking?

My middle child (my eldest son) likes to talk. He talks all the time about whatever he can think to talk about. He even talks when he is sleeping. We've asked him on multiple occasions why he talks so much and his answer is always the same:

"Because I don't want to get the hiccups!"

He says this with a very serious look on his face and very matter of factly, as if this is the most obvious thing in the world. He is convinced that talking will keep the hiccups away and he definitely does not want to get the hiccups!