StellasMum

Hi Chemar, Thanks so much for your quick reply! The swab was to test for possible PANDAS at my request although he didn't mention specifically a 'culture' test. I took a printout of some PANDAS info to the doctors with me as several of the causes seem to relate to my daughter; she had scarlet fever some years ago and has had regular bouts of tonsilitus but never enough for the doctor to suggest removing the tonsils. Hopefully when we have a blood test next week, it may help shed some light on this. I really appreciate your links and will have a look into them and the supplements on offer ASAP. Many thanks again, Dawn

Hi there, I am new here and looking for help for my 8 year old daughter's tics. We have not yet been diagnosed but she has been experiencing vocal and motor tics for over a year, along with repeating phrases to herself, ocds and anxiety. We had our first paediatric appointment this week, which included a throat swab for strep and are having a blood test next week to test for 'food mix' allergies (just the basics, wheat, dairy, nuts) and strep. Things are moving very slowly and I won't see another paediatrician for months... In the meantime, my daughter's temper flare ups are making life very hard at home. I am trying to cut dairy from her diet as she had a sudden increase in tics after having a caramel icecream one day. I am aware it could have been any number of ingredients in the icecream that caused this but dairy seemed the first to try. I am worried she is missing out on calcium although I am trying to make up for this with added calcium bread (which she hates!) and spinach and red cabbage daily. I haven't found a milk she will drink yet. She hated coconut milk so I am trying rice milk this week. Anyway, sorry for rambling! I would like some advice on any simple supplement I can give her. There seems to be a lot more help and information on these conditions in the US but I don't know if there are any recommended supplements available here in the UK that I can safely give her. At the moment all I am doing is using a magnesium spray twice a day and trying to eat basic foods with less additives which doesn't seem to be helping at all. My daughter has persistent phlegm in the mornings which I have always put down to possible asthma (like her sister) though our doctor insists it isn't. Maybe this is a food intolerance too? Any opinions on this would be interesting. I am reading Sheila Rogers book on natural treatments for tics and tourettes at the moment and my head is spinning with too much information and no clear indication of what to do next! Any help would be fantastic. Thanks in advance.