leepee

Hi to you both.....I just wanted to say that yes, for us at least it has got better. My son is now 14. He started with eye blinking at about the age 5 and moved on from there. His were always 'simple' tics and largely vocal - squeaks, throat clearing etc. He did also go through some shoulder jerking, as well but otherwise his physical tics were largely blinking, nose 'scrunging', lip licking etc....I will be honest and say I tried most things - diet, hypnosis, allergy treatments etc. Spent hundreds of dollars on being purely organic, supplements and so on.....Regardless they were just there. Constant rather than waxing and waning but largely never completely obvious. In the end we spent yet more money we didn't have on CBIT therapy and it made a pretty big difference. I think it was the first time he felt he had any control over himself.... Jumping forward a bit, in the last couple of years they have calmed down a lot - in particular in the last 6-9 months. During that time he has got braces. I was convinced this would make things worse but they didn't seem to make a difference. I am hoping he is just starting to grow out of them a bit! If I see facial tics I give him magnesium and we avoid strawberries as they always seem to trigger them. Thank goodness he is funny, happy and popular. I really think that in the midst of all the chaos and worry, it is so important to keep them confident and try and keep self esteem going. I am still tense if I see or hear anything but I have learned that he will tell me if things are bothering him.... This is just our story and yours may be different. I just remember my state -5 or 6 yrs ago when I would search this site for some hope! I just wanted to share that there may well be. I hope this helps a bit ...Hang on in there!xxx

Hi all I have a 13yr old boy who has had 'mild' T.S since about the age of 6. It has never (so far at least) become severe - generally simple vocal tics and some facial tics. He seems to have no other learning issues etc and school barely notices the tics. However, they are constant - never waxing waning. I have been reading a lot about GABA and think, for various reasons that it might really help him (he doesn't take anything except magnesium and some B vits) I am just wondering if anyone could suggest a starting dose? We are currently living in Nairobi, Kenya and homeopaths are pretty much non existent. He weighs about 85lbs if that helps! Would be so grateful for any advice. I would obviously rather start low and see how/if it helps Lisa

My son's tics - mainly vocal, started when he was six. He is now nearly 10 and they are almost constant! We are starting a programme of CBT next week with the therapist recommended by our Tourette's clinic doc.... Finger's crossed!!

Sorry for delay in follow up...Haven't been on for a while.... Unfortunately I found no improvement at all and in fact the tics seemed worse for quite a while after the treatments. I stopped at three visits as they were hugely expensive and no improvement was noted. Hope that helps! Lisa

Hi All My son has had tics since the age of six. They started with rapid blinking and eye rolling but now are almost exclusively vocal. He doesn't have a formal diagnosis of Tourettes because his specialist says he would have to have both motor and vocal tics together for a period of time and he never has. I have read recently that vocal tics can be linked quite strongly to allergies and am wondering if anyone has seen improvements in vocal tics after cutting out certain foods? I do give my son Magnesium, fish oils etc and we avoid colorants. He follows a very healthy diet and eats pretty much everything! Rather than start randomly cutting foods out I am thinking I should go the allergy test route. Would really appreciate all thoughts and feedback! Thanks Lisa

Well...As I have had no responses I thought it might be useful for others if I just let you know that my son has now had one session of hypnotherapy. So far no great reaction. He has a CD to listen to for 25 mins a day and another session next week.

Hi all, My nine yr old developed his first tic at around 6 1/2 (rapid blinking). Since then he has had almost exclusively vocal tics. His are regarded as simple tics in that they are noises (squeaks, grunts) and also throat clearing, rather than words or sentences. He generally manages to suppress them at school - teachers don't seem to even notice them and he is never teased (thank god!. At home though, they are pretty much constant. I recently read that hypnotherapy has been used to successfully ease, if not eradicate both motor and vocal tics. I am wondering if anyone has tried this and, if yes, what the success was like.....Would appreciate feedback as we are thinking of going down this route. He already has a very 'clean' diet and takes fish oils, magnesium and some others... Thanks for all responses! Leepee