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Hi there, just thought I'd post an experience for anyone searching. My daughter was on the usual path of motor/vocal tics for a few years starting at around age 5/6 till we really explored diet/environmental triggers and completely eliminated tics right around the age 10 mark, and she has been completely tic free for about 14 months. That includes many times of high anxiety, sickness, pressure, etc that can come with being a 10 yr old. In the past 6 months, we have tried challenge tests on a few foods. Eggs went well, and boy that made life easier. Dairy on the other hand was different. We tried challenging her with Fairlife for 2 days (lactose free milk, but it's still cow milk), and sure enough, mild tics showed right up and lasted approximately 12 days, then back to nothing. I only mention this because if you imagine a child who's system is being offended by multiple things, for a longer period of time, you can see how difficult it can be to isolate what is or isn't the offender.

@Atexgow did you get your daughter tic free please? I have no idea what the triggers are or how to get any relief for him

Hey we have been asked to avoid fermented foods , spinach ( we were consuming a lot ) and avoid tomatoes !!Also we are given Quercitin ( natural antihistamine) and DAO enzymes to digest if ate high histamines ! Histamine intolerance is another symptom of mold toxicity has nothing to do with environmental allergies ! But yes when your histamine bucket is full due to food + environmental triggers in spring season you get reaction/symptoms !!

This is exactly what we are dealing with starting March ( spring season ). But ours is more of allergies symptoms accompanied my mild tics! We are also falling sick again and again since March ! Also last year her tics got noticeable around the same time ! According to our doc this could be mast cell activation due to histamine intolerance ! Root cause - Mold toxicity ! Do you have any allergy symptoms ? Or just tics ? We were asked to eliminate few high histamine food and introduce Quercitin and DAO enzymes !

Hi badguyus1776. Welcome to the forums, and I'm sorry you are concerned that you have signs of ADHD. I don't know if there is a tendency for people with a history of TS to develop ADHD, per se. A lack of focus and interest in certain activities, like the painting you mention, could occur for a number of reasons. As we age, nutritional needs can increase or change. You might want to consult a practitioner who could order some lab work, if that's an option. You might have an imbalance with amino acids or other nutrients that often affect attention. Would you be interested in doing that? A mild depressive state could result in the symptoms you describe. Depression might be addressed through the biomedical approach just mentioned. Does that make sense? Do you already take brain-related supplements? Something else that can change with age is food reactions. Think about whether you feel the same every day or if there are times you feel more energized and engaged. You could keep a log of the foods you eat and consider whether you feel different on various days based on what your diet is like. Cutting back on sugars is often recommended for ADHD. (I don't know what your diet is like presently.) In addition to that, food intolerance can develop that causes brain fog. As an example, some people can no longer handle alcohol the same way they used to--or they start to react to gluten or certain foods with headache or foggy head or stomach issues even though those items never bothered them before. Since you mentioned indoor painting, I'll pass on a suggestion--and that is to go with non-VOC paint once you get inspired. It is available from major paint companies and is much healthier than standard paint. Some people find tics increase significantly with exposure to the chemicals off-gassing in standard (smelly) paint. Link to Sherwin Williams eco-friendly paint with explanation I hope that helps? The good news is that ADHD-type symptoms can often be improved.

Thanks for sharing your experience @fgter, this is truly valuable! My 6 years old daughter is going through tourette and I will start the consultation with Dr Gibson tomr, It’s a incredible challenging journey, but here’s to cheering for myself and all the incredible moms out there fighting for their kids dealing with tics!

Not to get too graphic, but it was loose stools a few times a week over a period of a few years. Pediatrician's repeated response was "It's no big deal, we're just glad it's not constipation". I want to say that the loose stools came before the tics started around the kindergarten age (started with eye blinking). The symptoms were our first clue, then we had an IG panel run which showed elevated response to a few things, including dairy (i wouldnt put too much stock in an IG panel however). Ultimately, we did an elimination diet under the direction of a naturopath and dietitian (my wife), and the stools gradually got better over a period of months, so that was really our confirmation. Supposedly celiac's also have a long heal time so I think in general if the gut is angry it takes awhile. She does NOT tolerate lactose free cheese and milk and that was a good challenge test after the elimination diet. I think that means something but haven't researched it too much. I made a thread about this the other month where she's been tic free for awhile now and we tried lactose free milk and it triggered loose stools and tics. She regularly has dairy free cheese, butter, and milk without issue. Cheeses usually by Violife or Daiya. Butter is by Melt Organic or Earth Balance. Milk is usually original almond milk.

Hi I have been asked to post our treatment protocol a number of times here and by emails so I have finally put it together in what I hope is a simple summary for anyone who needs more info on it. Although I have a background in Medical Research, with a postgrad degree in Physiology I am not a physician...this is the program that worked for my son, and and I must stress that we were at all times guided by a team of knowledgeable doctors. I urge everyone to work with a qualified physician! PLEASE NOTE! this post was originally written in 2004, and so has been updated with current information in the later posts of this thread Hope this answers your question...feel free to contact me if you need more details -------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST: I need to clarify that my son has genetically inherited Tourette Syndrome, and that my husband and his father before also manifest TS etc My son uses mainly supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs and certain amino acids) and healthy diet as his "treatments" He was on prescription meds for a year, but had very bad side effects, and not much improvement in tics as well as a worsening of his OCD etc. His natural treatment plan was enhanced by detoxification from heavy metals (in his case mercury, and chlorella supplement was used followed at the end by alpha lipoic acid)) and also controlling yeast overgrowth(candida) in his digestive tract. (we initially used caprylate by Solgar but then found Candida Clear by NOW to be most effective) We also found that artificial foods were big tic triggers for him (coloring, sweeteners like Nutrasweet ie aspartame and Splenda ie sucralose, MSG ( beware its hidden names in food...!!), chemical preservatives and high fructose corn syrup) We ran allergy tests and did a process of food elimination, but he doesnt have any natural food allergies per se, only mild p-nut sensitivity so we avoid those. For some folks tho, things like dairy, wheat(gluten) etc can be allergens and so intensify tics, OCD etc My son was also able to identify other tic triggers that he has such as chlorine (he avoids pools now) and dustmite, mold etc and also most strong smells like in perfumes, and some household cleaners, air fresheners etc (some of this is probably related to his hypersensitivity to sensory things..ie taste, smell, touch, sight and sounds) Occupational therapy [/b] made a big improvement in his sensory issues from the Sensory Integration Dysfunction that so many folks with TS etc seem to have....tho he still removes all labels from inside clothing and wears his sox inside out as the seams drive him nuts There is an excellent article here at Latitudes on Tic Triggers http://latitudes.org...ng_triggers.htm Acupuncture has greatly benefited him too, as has reflexology and biofeedback (NOT neurofeedback) In addition he sees a NUCCA chiropractor who uses gentle pressure methods to help reallign him as ticcing frequently causes skeletal misalignment with resultant neuromuscular problems which cause pain and can even trigger more tics too! ( http://www.nucca.org ) He also had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for the OCD, and occupational therapy helped with many of his Sensory Integration issues In addition we tested for PANDAs (strep negative) and Pyroluria (not an issue) as these can also be conditions that exacerbate tics, OCD etc We saw an INTEGRATIVE medical doctor (trained conventionally, but specialised in natural medicine) and she and her team worked together on my son's treatment and testing The OCD, depression, anxiety and other mood issues were always the most troubling for him, and the improvement that the supplements like primarily 5HTP & Inositol have made there are remarkable! (It is not a good idea to mix some of these with meds tho, so do note that!) I based the rest of his supplements on Bonnie Grimaldi's researched plan for her child. http://www.oocities.org/torcha.geo/ts_main_bonnie_sup.html She now has her own products, BonTech on the market which many people use with great success for tics ( www.BonnieGr.com ) but I still use the combinations that I initially implemented for my son, based on Bonnie's protocol but fine tuned to suit my son's specific needs, under guidance from a physician, as it WORKS and so I am reluctant to change anything. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here is our program * multivitamin/mineral (the multi has all the good antioxidants,and other RDA supplements and is high in the B group vits, and I add an extra B1 ( IMPORTANT NO COLOR, FLAVOR OR FILLER IN THE MULTI!! ) * combo essential fatty acid supp containing flaxseed, borage and evening primrose oil ( My son is sensitive to fishoil, as some people are, but if you tolerate it, it is good to also use that) * Lecithin * Royal Jelly * ginko biloba(for ADD) * Inositol (for OCD & tics) * St Johns Wort (for OCD) * Vitamin B12 as METHYL cobalamin * P-5-P (vit B6) in the evening he gets * 5HTP (for OCD) (please note 5HTP can have bad side effects in some people so use with caution! and NEVER with medications that elevate serotonin!!) * Methionine (for OCD) (some people prefer samE) * calcium/magnesium/zinc combo( magnesium = main tic reducer) * taurine (main tic reducer) * GrapeSeed PLUS extract Boosts immune system and seems to also promote restful sleep. The blend I use also contains Bilberry for his vision as well as other essential antioxidants) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When he is run down he also gets co-enzyme Q, and if we notice anxiety up I add GABA for short periods) He used to take L-carnitine, which many folks find very beneficial especially for vocal tic reduction, and relaxation, but lately he seems to get edgy from it so we discontinued it. The doseage of the supps depends on age and body weight so I have not included it here I stress again,ESPECIALLY if you are ON MEDS, it is a good idea to talk to a physician before adding or combining some of these supplements as interactions can occur which can be serious. Here is an excellent site for reading up on the various supps etc http://www.iherb.com/health.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I should also mention that when my son began his natural treatments, he had tested +ve for epstein barr virus, tho without mononucleosis. We therefore adopted a homeopathic and herbal/supplement/diet regimin as antimicrobial Things like monolaurin(lauric acid from coconuts) olive leaf extract, and cooking with garlic, ginger, turmeric, plus the candida Clear (which has oregano oil, wormwood, pau d'arco and other antimicrobials in it) Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (we like Nutiva) is also excellent uncooked, and drizzled over food. The probiotics we use are natural Lifeway kefir and Stoneyfield Farms Plain Organic Yoghurt L-lysine is also a good supp to prevent viral outbreaks information overload???? I will be happy to answer any questions! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITED TO ADD: Certain of my son's tics were clearly interlinked with his OCD, and this was especially so with injurious ones. The psychiatrist who was working with him at the time educated us about this interaction between OCD and Tourettes (Tourettic OCD), and also about ENDORPHINS, the "feel good" chemicals naturally secreted by our brains when we experience pain. Sometimes repetitive injurious "tics" can be stimulating endorphins and so the patient keeps doing them because of this natural high. the amino acid phenylalanine, in its D form, promotes endorphin release and my son was on this for a while. It totally stopped these self injurious "tics" It isnt easy to find D-phenylalanine, but the DL-phenylalanine is more widely available. Please note that where just the L form helps with depression, it is the D form that is needed for the endorphin release. A very good way to also increase endorphins is moderate excercise. I should also point out that *some people may tic more from phenylalanine* as it is dopaminergic. This was not so for my son for the short time that he used it, but it needs to be noted. Also wanted to mention the tremendous benefit my son has from EPSOM SALTS tubs. The magnesium sulfate in the salts seems to have good results on tics, detox and relaxation. He has one most evenings. 2 cups epsom salts in a tub of warm water and approx 20 min soak. He drinks lots of pure water, or chamomille tea while in tub too. Epsom foot baths are good too! as is soaking a washcloth in strong epsom solution and apply to areas where tics happening most. Epsom cream also helps. (1.2 tbsp salts, saucer hot water. dissolve and mix into 1/4 cup aquaphor cream) Morton Salt has a very good Epsom lotion ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update : 11/19/2024 Hi Everyone, We started working with Dr.Piper Gibson on my daughter tics issue. She had her bloodwork/genetics tests done and looks like my kid has heavy amount of mycotoxins in her body, which probably came from mold in the house and mold from grains. My kid is also sensitive to many foods and she is intolerant to dairy/gluten/sugar Dr Piper suggested a 6 months protocol for us during which we have to go for a dairy free/grain free/gluten free diet She suggested supplements to flush out the toxins from her body and fix the leaky gut. The journey just started, will keep updating on how it is going, thanks for all your support

If anyone has read my long thread on what helped my son all those years ago, you know Magnesium was key in calming his then very severe tics. (thread is linked on my profile page) Fast forward 23 years and a senior relative who also has TS tried the Natural Calm powder (ionic chelated magnesium citrate) more for digestive/laxative purpose- and had an immediate calming of some tics that had resurfaced! It just reminded me again of how dramatic an effect there was on reducing my son's TS tics after adding a good magnesium supplement. I understand not everyone responds the same way, but sure is worth a try if you are looking for something that may just help

My daughter has had a throat clearing tic as well as a squeaking tic. BUT she is doing remarkably well and is not medicated. The average person would never know she tics. I know that vocal tics are viewed with dread, I just want to assure parents out there that simple vocal tics are no worse than simple motor tics.

My daughter has CIRS and yes, that can cause tics. In her case, the mold exposure was/is in the schools. We found three things helpful - improving the environment, treating a fungal infection in her sinuses (frequently accompanies an infection called MARCoNs) and helping the body detox. I could write a novel on all of this, so I'll only focus on the environment since that's what you asked about. We did some basic cleaning up of our home (replaced carpets with hardwood, tossed lots of things from the basement, run a dehumidifier, got rid of house plants) but our ERMI test showed that the house wasn't the problem. And there wasn't much we could do about the schools. So we fought a long battle and eventually got the district to put IQ Air GC Multigas air filters in each of my daughter's classrooms. Her attendance went from a few hours a week to full time. So definitely consider this kind of filter - it's portable and most sellers give you a 60 day return policy if you find it doesn't help. For your house, if the problem is with the AC, then it's likely that mold spores have been spread throughout the house. So it's not crazy that the 2nd company is suggesting such an intense approach. But...I'm wasn't born wealthy, so I can understand wanting a more realistic approach. The AC system obviously has to be fixed in a way that the problem doesn't come back. And I would definitely ditch carpets (even if it means having bare subfloors for a time) - make sure the carpets get rolled up into heavy mil plastic and removed out of the house through the closest windows, not carried through the rest of the house. Remediate what makes sense in the bedroom, and clean everything you can on your own in the rest of the house (window treatments, all clothes, wipe down everything you can with Benefect or EC3 cleaning supplies). Get the IQ Air filter for your daughter's room and maybe the family room. Consider mattress encasements and replace pillows. Make sure your washer doesn't have mold. Do the easy/cheap/obvious stuff yourself. Then between this level of remediation and detox, see how she feels. If the tics start to subside and she starts to feel better, you can chip away at the problem until she gets healthy. If she doesn't recover fully, then keep looking for a mold source and consider more extreme measures. You can find helpful information here http://moldcontrolonabudget.com/ The site is run by May Dooley and she's super helpful. You may ultimately need to go full out, but nothing says you need to do it as a first step. Hope this helps.

I just wanted to attest to the benefits of CBD oil for what appears to be these symptoms. My wife is a functional medicine doctor and has been working on a PANS/PANDAS diagnosis for a 5 year old female who has been experiencing the onset and progression of OCD/ADHD rage and other tantrums since 18 months old. The parents have been trying to implement a detox protocol with this child for 6 months however the child has been non compliant. The child appears fine during the day at school and in social situations however at home is constant tantrum after tantrum with only breaks when the child is sleeping or on electronics or playing in solitary in their room without any interruptions. The child will not groom including bathing shower or bath, combing hair, brushing teeth and now lately most clothing regardless of size, texture bothers her. It takes the parents 1-2 hours most morning to execute a morning routine of eating, dressing and brushing teeth. Hair is off the table and has been for years unless she is bathed first and even then there is massive tantrums and protests. These symptoms have become progressively worse over time and come and go. The child has been in OT since 2 as well as child/family therapy. The child does not respond to positive motivation or encouragement under most conditions and is defiant to all directions both positive and negative. Out of desperation the parents discovered CBD for treatment of ODD (which is the diagnosis given by the psychiatrist) symptoms and decided to give it a try. The child is very food averse and will not willingly take any supplements or vitamins making it very difficult to be compliant with any prior treatments. The parents warm up some chocolate almond milk and put two droppers of 11 MG Charlotte's Web CBD in a glass (the mint chocolate kind) to get the child to take this. The results have been outstanding. The parents have noticed an immediate change in their child's behaviors. Not more tics, sounds, grunts, rage and defiant behavior. The child responds well to positive motivation and is executing their daily routines with ease, in fact the child was last reported to get dressed and brush their teeth in under 10 minutes! Sensitivity to clothing sizes and textures have improved as well. For the first time in a long time the parents are seeing the child who has been missing for years due to this condition. The CBD is being given twice a day, as other has mentioned a low dose may make symptoms worse, despite it not making sense a higher dose has the best effects for this child so other parents may want to try a higher dose before giving up. The parents are still looking for a positive diagnosis for PANS with my wife however CBD has been the largest noticeable improvement for this child to date in managing the symptoms. I wanted to share this experience for other parents who are in crisis with their child and are looking for help.

Just my 2 cents My ds4 tics and ocd got better after 2 week round of steroids. And contrary to what some may think, it didn't get worse even when he later tested positive for Lyme.