worrywort2

Hello, I've read in quite a few places that caffeine is a tic trigger. I tried to stop drinking coffee on Saturday (cold turkey!) and made it to 4 p.m. My head hurt so bad that I gave in and had 1 cup. Since then, I've only had 1 cup per day. Doeas anyone have any good info on coffee/caffeine? Also, I started taking a calcium/mag/zinc supplement. I feel quite a bit calmer. I don't know if it's the cutting back on coffee or the supplement.

Thank you so much. This forum has been a comfort to me. Every parent wants a good/normal life for their children. I worry so much about how this could affect their future...will they get picked on?...will they have girlfriends?....will they marry....what about a job? It's good to hear some reassuring words.

Hello, As I have mentioned before, I have a 5 yr old who has had mild tics for 1 yr now (tics will appear one at a time) and a 2 yr old now showing a shoulder/arm shrug tic. Also, I have had a slight head jerking tic since I was 17 (and briefly when I was about 10). I value all the info here and I'm trying to find something to give me hope. Obviously this all sounds like a genetic issue. What I'm wondering is what would be the best case scenario for my kids. I'm always obsessing over them having full blown severe Tourettes and never have stopped to think that this could turn out to be less severe. Has anyone ever heard of kids like mine who have just minor symptoms or even a disappearance of the tics as they grow up? I really need something positive to think about.

Thanks! This world of "natural treatments" is totally new to me! I just can't believe all the chemicals that I've been pouring into my body. I'm really wondering about aspartame. I grew up in a diabetic family and EVERYTHING had artificial sweeteners. Up until now, I've been adicted to diet sodas. My son drank quite a bit of one of my gigantic diet sodas the week before all these tics started for him. I just wonder if that was a trigger.

If this is a case of SID, why do you suppose that it just started suddenly? Actually, he's always been a bit sensative to hugs, hair washing, walking barefoot on grass, and getting things on his hands. So, it definitely makes sense. I'm just wondering about the sudden tic. In regards to my attempt at "natural" foods, we've been at this for about 3 days now and my tics seem to be a bit better. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but, I'll take anything at this point. I have sworn off artificial sweeteners for life! Does anyone know of any good books/magazines/websites with realastic info about eating/living more naturally (dye free, etc..)? Thanks.

Hi, Thanks for the feedback. I scheduled an OT evaluation for my son to see if they think it could be sensory related. I'm also trying to ease up on all the artificial dyes, colors, & flavors. I read a little bit about the Feingold diet. My friend told me about a nutritionist in town who might be worth seeing, also. I guess I'll try anything reasonable at this point. I am very worried about what the future might be like if both of my boys have to deal with this.

Hello, I'm the mother of two boys, 5 and 2. I've had a head jerking tic since I was a teen (it's very mild and people say I'm great at hiding it...even though hiding it tires me out). My 5 yr old developed a vocal tic (throat clearing with a hmmm) 1 yr ago. It lasted 2 months and we saw the pediatrician and a neurologist during that time (they were no help). He now has a slight nose twitch. Now, the big mystery is that my 2 yr old started doing this thing with his left arm where he kind of hikes up his shoulder as if his shirt is bugging him. The odd thing is that when he has no shirt on he doesn't do it at all. Has anyone heard of this (a tic only occurring when a shirt is on)? I just know that there is no instance where I can stop my tic, so, I'm wondering if this is something else. I also find it interesting that both boys started their tics at the exact time of the year (when molds are very high) They are both allergic to molds, cats, dogs and peanuts. I'm starting to think this is triggered by the mold. I would greatly appreciate any words of wisdom. This is really getting me down.