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Five Year Old Son with Tics


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I am so glad to have found this forum, and I'm appreciative for any advice you all have to offer!

 

When our son was four, he started blinking excessively. We took him to his pediatrician for this, and she suggested that it would just go away on its own, and not to worry. Well, it did go away, but it was replaced about a month after its absence by a neck jerk, arm and leg jerk, and sometimes whole body jerk (I think he also did a grunt/throat clearing, but I can't remember fully). We took him back to the pediatrician, and she referred us to a pediatric neurologist. I feel that the pediatric neurologist we saw (not the one we were referred to, but the one who had an opening that wasn't half a year away) was not very helpful. She did some observations of our son and asked a decent amount of questions, but, really, nothing was asked about his diet, testing for allergies, etc. (which I have learned since then seem to be very valid considerations when dealing with tics). At any rate, we left being told to contact them if we feel he needs to be seen again, but armed with nothing concrete to do or try involving our son's situation. The tics eventually stopped for about a month again, then were replaced with the current tics of 1) a gasp followed by a grunt/throat clearing, and 2) repeatedly saying "YEAH" or "OKAY" in conjunction with a grunt/throat clearing. I think there are a few other little things that he does as well, but I need to be better about keeping things documented so I can have clear remembrance of everything. We have five little boys, ages 2 months, 1, 2, 3, and 5, and one due in May, so things are busy enough here as it is...! :o/

 

I guess I'm just not sure where to start with trying to "remedy" the situation. I did schedule an appointment for the beginning of January with the pediatric neurologist we were originally referred to. I'm hoping to have better luck with him. Also, I've considered taking our son to an environmental medicine physician (?), to see if he has any allergies or sensitivities to certain foods, chemicals, etc. Does anyone know, for that, if you generally need a referral from your pcp?

 

From a young age, we did suspect allergies/asthma in our son. He's always had a raspy voice, and I've constantly wondered if allergies could have something to do with that. He also gets winded very easily - much quicker, it seems, than other kids do. This doesn't stop him from being active, overall, but I do notice that if he tries to run very fast for a short period of time, or tries to go on a slight uphill on his bike, he is gasping and out of breath very quickly (whereas his three year old brother is going up the same hill on his bike with not one complaint, and not winded). If he does have allergies/asthma, how does that, or could that, relate to his tics?

 

I know we have that appointment coming up in about a month and a half, but I just feel that I need to do/try something NOW. My husband is very suspicious of removing things from his diet, or thinking that toxins in his environment could be at least partly at fault for his tics, but I'm willing to try anything that might help my son. Do you remove one thing at a time, and see if that helps? I have Celiac disease, so removing wheat from his diet wouldn't be as big of an adjustment for us as, say, removing dairy, or sugars, or corn (dairy, especially, is a big part of his diet...and even though he's really not a big sweets person, I know how many things (yogurt, breakfast sausages, even cereals that are considered "healthy",etc.) have sugars added into them). How long do you remove each thing before being able to ascertain whether it's a trigger or not?

 

I'm sorry this post is so long. I could probably continue on with my concerns and questions for another few pages, but I think I'll spare you all. ; )

 

Thank you so much, in advance, for your help!!

 

Sarah

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Hi

Sorry to post on the run but just wanted to suggest you consider getting Sheila's book asap as a reference resource

http://latitudes.org/store/natural-treatments-for-tics-and-tourette-syndrome-book/

 

Here too is our "Helpful Threads" section http://latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2459

 

I will try to post more later and hope you find answers to help your child.

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Welcome to the forum.

 

Agree. Very comprehensive book and good to refer to.

 

Just wanted to say, since you're wanting something to try quickly, it seems to be generally agreed that chucking in some magnesium is always worth a try. 400 mg a day is the usual dose for an adult; the NIH recommendation seems to be no more than 110 mg a day for children under 8, but this is undoubtedly a very cautious value; hopefully other people on here will chip in?

 

If you're using it for any length of time, you should add at least an equal amount of calcium too, as the two minerals tend to deplete each other.

 

There are various different forms; opinions vary about which is best, but the main thing is that all other forms are better than the standard oxide or carbonate because those aren't absorbed very well so a lot of it will be wasted - but if those are all you can find they're better than nothing.

 

Good luck, and well done making such efforts to make life easier for your son, and I hope you find a way of improving things soon!

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Hi there;) this is my first post, but I am beyond grateful for this forum as I would have never known how to pursue my son's tourettes symptoms. How can I make this short?! I decided to post here because at this point if nothing else, I am looking for someone going through the same thing. I can't believe how isolating this experience has been and I should have looked for outside support long before now. Chemar, I have seen your name many times in various threads;). My son started with shoulder shrugs and ground touching just shy of his 3rd birthday. I was sick with fear (trust your gut) but was assured by many to ignore. I did, and they went away. 8 months later, my son had and still has a very loud vocal shout- there was no ignoring this. To follow, a host of other tics/compulsions would emerge-once I started studying him like a hawk, I could probably count at least 25 different tics/compulsions (not all at the same time). I won't get into what the traditional docs told me, you already know that story. I found a functional pediatrician and through oat tests/Genova stool tests and blood work we discovered HUGE clostridia/yeast overgrowth and cryptosporidium (parasite);(. My doctor admitted she has never had a patient with these findings. We were put on antifungals, supplements and a prescription specific to his parasite, though I don't think it worked. I can give so many more details as to what we are on and how he got this way in the first place (which still concerns me of course)but I'm not even sure I will get a response;). We have had some encouraging days, but we are currently having a set back and I'm feeling so discouraged because I am doing everything I can to help his gut. Complete change if diet- we don't even leave the house because I spoon feed him to ensure he gets lots of nourishing food in him. Please, if anyone is interested in corresponding or has any input and I can share plenty more details, or simply someone going through the same thing- I will be forever grateful for your encouraging chats!

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  • 1 month later...

Sarah, thank you for posting on our Forums and I hope you are finding some useful tips. You mentioned that you were going to see the pediatric neurologist in January. Did you do that -- and what have you learned?

 

As you would know from your readings, there is frequently a connection between the immune system and tic dissorders/Tourette syndrome though this is not always acknowledged by the conventional medical community. Since you suspect your boy may have allergies or asthma, it would be useful to pursue that avenue regardless of whether could be a connection with tics. (Be aware that some related medications have a potential of aggravating tics so be cautious about potential drug side effects if any are prescribed).

 

You mentioned that you have celiac disease -- so it would make perfect sense to explore that for your son or have him tested. Other typical factors often might include other food sensitivities, sugars, artificial additives, every day toxins, outdoor allergens, a nutrient deficiency, pets, and mold exposure.

 

The frustrating reality is that you could control for one factor (like gluten) yet something else (just an example: like new carpeting that is outgassing) might trigger a tic and make you unsure if a diet change is helping. This is where a comprehensive approach can be useful.

 

Please drop a note and let us know what is going on now and if you have any more information to tell us. Hoping for the best for you, Sheila

 

 

 

 

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