Chemar

Shawn as Claire has explained, there is a wealth of info here about detox and supplements, and especially detox from Yeast Infection and mercury. The supplements that help most with tics are very much dependent on how the tics originate...ie are they Tourette or transient tics. However, all seem to find calcium/magnesium/zinc and Essential Fatty Acids (Omega Oils) useful....also the amino acids L-carnitine and Taurine seem to help most people who have tics.

Claire.......yoghurt doesnt trigger dairy allergies like milk does...even acidophilus milk....that only helps if someone is lactose intolerant, but it there is an actual general dairy allergy...best to avoid cow's milk!...but Yoghurt is a-OK

Claire we found it helped with both.....but then I find it hard to distinguish between them as they really do often blend in most cases of OCD an obsessive thought often becoming a compulsive action and a compulsion becoming an obsession. By Definition:OCD is characterized by obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviors. Obsessions are unwanted, recurrent, and disturbing thoughts which the person cannot suppress and which can cause overwhelming anxiety. Compulsions are repetitive, ritualized behaviors that the person feels driven to perform to alleviate the anxiety of the obsessions. PHEW!! I am so glad we dont have this anymore....and I do attribute it to the elevated seratonin from the 5HTP phobias/ fears can be a part of OCD but can also have other root causes...... Have you tried your son on just INOSITOL (vitB8)? It really does seem to help a lot and I havent yet heard any adverse reports from its use at age appropriate dose here is the iHerb link http://healthinfo.healthgate.com/GetConten...&chunkiid=21766 and then there is also GABA which some find very useful. We add GABA whenever the OCD was waxing and it calmed immediately Since he has stabilised, we dont use GABA anymore, just the daily 5HTP, SJW and Inositol (as I mentioned before, we use SJW in the mornings instead of 5HTP so he doesnt get drowsy) I dont have any info on just treating obsessions but it is my personal feeing that it is also a seratonin deficiency. HOWEVER, in your sons case, the strep infection itself could have so toxified his system that this caused his fears and phobias especially as he was then also HIGH MERCURY (known to cause irrationality) and HIGH YEAST (with all its many health ramifications) HTH also hope you are feeling better........I sure know what the yeast did to me so I feel for you! But the good news is that, with diet changes and the capryllate it quickly gets controlled. (ps also need to mention that colonic irrigation , as unpleasant as it is, is one of the fastest ways to boost the yeast detox! )

Robin dont forget that when he is off the meds, he may greatly benefit from 5HTP and Inositol.......

Hi Lawsmith and welcome have you had a PANDAs test for your son? Whenever tics start after a viral infection that is a very good idea. Sounds like he had a severe allergic reaction to that decongestant! That could also have exacerbated the tics. I too would feel somwhat sceptical of the diagnosis of Ts that you received based on the info you have posted......do you have a genetic TS link? It is really very unusual to find TS without a family history, whereas transient tics have many testable and treatable causes If you keep working thru the threads here you will pick up a ton of useful info that may point you in the right direction in finding answers for your son. keep us posted

it's a TOOTH!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well.......I dont know if it is the only reason for the recent waxing, but I know from past experience it is certainly a contributing factor! My son has one of his "teenage" molars coming thru! Ever since he was a baby, teething has always caused him "side effects" and since he has had the TS manifested, his tics have ALWAYS increased with tooth issues.

Hi 7Roses I am so very glad that you are on the road to dealing healthily with the tics. As to your question re transient vs TS, in all truth this is something that only a neurologist or devel;opmental pediatrician can answer for sure, but........... it is unusual to find actual Tourette Syndrome without a genetic link somewhere. and with the prevalalence of transient tics in modern society....it is very possible that you are dealing with that. It usually takes a couple of weeks for the vitamins to show full effect, BUT do remember that all the vitamins in the world wont help enough to stop tics IF he is eating food that has the main triggers in like food coloring, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, MSG, high fructose corn syrup etc AND if there is a root cause that needs treatment like the things I mentioned in my last post PANDAs(strep --not just strep throat) Pyroluria Yeast (Candida) infection Mercury or other heavymetal(eg lead) toxicity food or environmental(which includes photosensitivity to TV/Computer) allergies or sensitivities If you dont start seeing improvement from the vits then eventually you are going to have to start a process of elimination of the other possible causes. As to the doses of vitamins....that is really where it is hard to gage as it does depend on what is deficient (again there are tests for this) I would recommend that you take a look at Bonnie Grimaldi's website and look at the doseages she recommends for kids your son's age....(you find the info in the section called "Product Information") In case you havent heard of her, she did research and developed a supplement plan to help her own son with TS and it worked so well that she began sharing her info with others.......the first link that I am going to post below here is from 1999 when she posted her "recipe" of vitamins on the internet....that will give you a guideline on what she(and now many others, including my family) have found to be a good basis for tic treatment. She now has developed her own range of products called BONTECH and has refined her program by adding some new supplements too The second link that i am posting is for her current website which has a LOT of EXCELLENT information and as I mentioned, also lists her product ingredients and the doseages recommended for various age groups. Just do remember that Bonnie's program is primarily designed for people with TS, although numerous folks with transient tics have benefitted from it too. There are many on this Forum that have used her vitamins with great success! and others (like me) who have her research to thank for providing me with the guidelines to develop my son's own plan(I dont use her products, but follow her guidelines....my main reason is that I do have to budget very carefully and, altho her products are VERY fairly priced, especially considering their purity and formulation...still, I have been able to put together a less expensive program for my son, that also enables him to have to swallow less capsules per day...by getting combinations and brands that contain the things that his symptroms and testing showed he specifically needed) So here are the links for Bonnie's program FIRST, her original plan is on this geocities link(and there is also a link from there to her current website) http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5207/ts_ma...bonnie_sup.html and her Bontech website is at http://www.BonnieGr.com Ok, dear Roses, that is probably MORE than enough info to digest in one day so i will say bye for now and God Bless Cheri

Hi Shawn and welcome If you email Sheila Rogers via the Latitudes Homepage top buuton where it says "CONTACT US" you can find out whether Dr Robbins is receiving emails. That Forum with him is now "Read Only" I have no personal experience with the kind of nervous tic that you are dealing with, but if I come accross any info i will post it back here, so do stay in touch.... Hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Hi again guligirl I see you opened a new thread which is a very good idea..... It really is a pleasure to see you here and to welcome you to the caring, sharing Latitudes TS Forum community....as you have already seen....there is a ton of great information, but you will also find wonderful support from the special people here! here is a link related to head trauma and TS http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:aZ04h...+syndrome&hl=en I have also found others in the past and will try to relocate them for you. Dont forget to check those doctor lists that i pointed you to here, in case you are able to find one to suit your needs in the City http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...p?showtopic=565 "see" ya later and God Bless

Hi guligirl! How very nice to see you here!! I was just thinking about you and popped in here, so what a treat to see your name on the post. If you take a look at the thread that is pinned to the top of the board you will find the links to lists for doctors who specialise in natural treatments....so hopefully will find good referral in your area. I will find the link soon but YES I have recently come accross quite convincing info on head injury and Tourette like symptoms gotta go as i have a busy day God Bless and stay in touch! Cheri

I just heard about a great sounding book to help kids eat healthier and avoid the toxic junk stuff as well as adopt an overall healthier lifestyle It is called The Toxic Detective and is written by Dr Don Colbert M.D. who is well known for his excellent books on natural healing here is the blurb on this book The Toxic detective is published by Charisma KIDS , newly released and costs $14.99. You can find out more about Dr Colbert and his many books for specific health problems here(and there is also a link to his personal website there too) http://chkids.strang.com/authors.pl?auth=9...hkids&display=1

Roses.... I have bumped up the thread that has a link to info on Pyroluria....it is a condition that usually runs in families, and can cause tics. it is simple to test for and easy to treat.

I am moving this up for the interest of newcomers to this forum

See what a great group this is, 7Roses? Everyone who has left you a message here has been thru the emotions you are experiencing and so their words come from a very deep understanding. Just to reinforce something from my very first post that Claire has also mentioned......where the multivit and the cal/mag/zinc supplements should only bring benefits....there are some people who dont tolerate fishoil too well, usually only when it is on its own, not blended with the other EFAs....but there are some who just cant handle fishoil at all(usually people who have seafood sensitiviteis) and then it is best to use just the flaxseed with borage and evening primrose added. Dont forget that it is also important to try to avoid letting your son eat "junk" food...ie foods that have added artificial color or sweetener, preservatives, MSG and the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup that they seem to stick in everything these days. There is enough evidence now from many anecdotal accounts that those things do trigger tics. Once you are able to, I still would strongly recommend that you still do take your son in to see a doctor, preferably one from those lists pinned to the top of this forum by Dr.Sheila Rogers (who is the one to thank for this wonderful website )I realise that this is hard to do till you have the finance or the insurance available and so in the meantime just keep trying to do all the good things you can to help. But, as many of us both with TS and just transient tics have found, their are often underlying things that make tics worse, and these are usually best detected by blood tests........ they are things like Yeast Infection (which TONS of people have and dont even realise it is making them ill) it is called Candida and usually grows in the digestive system where it produces toxins that cause all kinds of health problems. Usually people who have used a lot of antibiotics have it, or those who have "cravings" for sugary/starchy things. It is real easy to get rid of it by following a special diet for a bit and using a supplement called Capryllic Acid. Also there is Mercury. because you son has exhibited Selective Mutism it is very possible that he has high mercury levels, most often caused by the childhood vaccines! but also sometimes during pregnancy if the mom has lots of mercury fillings , or ate a lot of canned tuna and fish high in mercury. Again there is a very good supplement called Chlorella, that helps to "mop up" mercury and also one called Alpha Lipoic Acid that is a final stage treatment to help get mercury out of the brain. But before one tries to treat these situations, it really is good to have a doctor who is trained in these natural treatments to guide you with the testing and doseages. I cant remember from the above posts if your son has ever had strep? There is a whole area of Tic research and treatment now devoted to something called PANDAs, where it has been found that strep (both the strep throat kind and the other streps that dont always show themselves as a "strep throat") ...well, these strep viruses can also trigger tics. Again, a correct blood test by a knowledgable doctor will reveal whether their is high strep present(the usual throat swab cultures dont reveal this properly) And, antibiotics are given which have a very positive effect in reducing tics. While on the subjest of antibiotics....you have probably seen the term "probiotic" in a lot of the threads here......they are the "good" bacteria that our bodies need and are usually deficient in our modern diets, and especially when antibiotics have been used. I personally feel that everyone in this modern world should take probiotics. They are available in supplement form, but the least expensive and healthiest way to take them is thru natural yoghurt (NOT the flavored, sweetened ones...the plain kind) My favorite brand is Stoneyfield Farms as it has a good balance of probiotics. I like it plain with oat cereal, but my son needs it "flavored" so I chop fresh fruit into it for him and he likes a little honey or maple syrup in it too. Well, dear 7Roses....I think that is quite enough info for you to take in from one post so I will say bye for now and just keep looking to the Lord for guidance and strength..........I am so glad He has brought you here. You and your son are in my prayers too!

Good girl 7Roses...... The cream of the supplement crop would be to start with a good MULTIVITAMIN+MINERALS that doesnt have any added coloring in it. I am not sure where you live so cant recommend brands as I dont know what is available to you. It is good if it has high B VITAMINS in it, especially Vit B6 People who tic also benefit from having extra calcium, magnesium and zinc and you can usually get that in a single capsule...it is usually in the miligram (mg)ratio of 800Cal:400Mag:50zinc and then to top off try to get an Essential Fatty Acid(EFA) supplement that contains the Omega fatty Acids (Omega3, 5 & 9) You can get them in combined capsules now...sometimes called "Super Omega" ....the best things that provide this should contain Flaxseed Oil, Borage Oil and Fish Oil, and it is good to have something called GLA with that...some of the capsules(like the "super Omega") already have it in them....otherwise you can get it in the form of Evening Primrose Oil capsules If you have a WalMart near you they have a brand called "Spring Valley" that you can get all these things in....it is much cheaper than most supplements and generally has no colors or other yucky stuff added There is LOTS more to share with you, but as you are discovering, it can get really overwhelming to try to take it all in at once....so more info tomorrow Just remember........MOST TS is inherited, so it is very likely that your precious little guy doesnt have it, and, if by some slim chance he does, it has a greater chance of being very mild and getting better! Keep looking toward that light at the end of the tunnel! lots of {{{{{hugs}}}}}} and blessings to you and your son

So often, especially as parents, we tend to be focussed on the negative aspects of Tourette Syndrome and what we can do to make them "better" However, TS seems to bring with it some very characteristic traits and talents that are so very positive! In my own son, to name but a few......he has a wonderful sense of humour, a deeply caring and compassionate nature, remarkable musical, dramatic and artistic talents and a resilience, perseverance and determination not often seen in most people, nevermind a young one! there is a thread on these positive aspects of TS on Braintalk that I hope will bring even more encouragement and inspiration to all the TS parents who read and post here Blessings to all of you Cheri

Dear Roses I just wanted to pop back in here and try to encourage you.....what your son has are very possibly "transient tics" that will pass, especially if they are being triggered by something simple like allergy, illness(strep causes something called PANDAs induced tics...) or even the TV/Computer screen trigger that some here have found ........ however even if it IS Tourette Syndrome....that is not nearly as bad as you seem to be imagining! My son is 14 and has TS, and my husband is 57 and also has it. With my husband, his tics are barely noticeable(a few facial "expressions") and my son has gone from severe ticcing when it first started 4 years ago to very mild, even when they are "up"....thanks to the natural treatments we have been following for him Usually, TS is inherited, so there will be someone else in the family lines of you or his dad that have TS in some form or other. I am not sure where you have the idea from that people who have TS have no control over their bodies? That is extremely rare! and if it is from the TV stories about that guy who had the brain implant to help........rest assured, his extreme problems with TS are the exception not the norm! People with TS do struggle with tics that come and go, and they are both movements and sounds.....but they do just that.....they come and go and no one tic stays "forever".....also, people with TS mostly can and do control their tics when they HAVE to....they just eventually also have to let them out as it is like a build up of pressure in them until the tics are released. Usually, the years around 10-12 are the ones where TS seems to be at its strongest. Most often, when the teenage years progress, it begins to decrease and many adult people with TS have it so very mildly that you probably wouldnt know unless they told you. There is no "final" stage....TS is NOT a degenerative condition....it doesnt get "worse" if anything, it gets better with time! (Especially if those who have it are having a healthy diet, with good vitamins and other supplements, and moderate excercise, staying away from heavy chemicals like pesticides and stuff and other things that were on that trigger list I linked you to in my first post.) The world is FULL of very happy and successful people who also have TS.....MOZART had it!!!! There are TS doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, teachers, professors, actors, musicians, artists, sports stars, clergy and a whole array of folks including wonderful parents who have it too and still manage to have successful careers and loving families. So please dont think that TS is the end of the life....for some, it is the beginning of a whole new and very rewarding life! My son, although only 14, has achieved and accomplished some amazing things BECAUSE he has TS, and he actually sees it as a blessing from God as it has opened up some wonderful opportunities for him! I have moved up a thread here called "Encouragement" which contains a quote by someone who lives with TS and it really has a very balanced view, so i hope you will read it. In the meantime, if I can leave you with advice that I have gained through our experience.......DONT WORRY! it doesnt make anything better...and usually only makes things worse!! Things are usually never as bad as we imagine, and there are multitudes of stories of people with TS or just transient tics that are filled with hope and success and encouragement. DO stay in touch here and feel free to vent your feelings because that is VERY important for you and your child...we are here not only to share our experience but to give you all the love and support that we can......and to help you realise that you are not alone in this situation....you have all of us who understand because we have felt just like you do....but we can hold out a beacon of light for you and tell you that it CAN and usually DOES get better ps sniffing alone is not necessarily classified as a vocal tic....it is usually accompanied by throat clearing or coughing when it is vocal.

moving this up for any newcomers

Hello The7roses and welcome What a nice screen name! I cant post long as I am in a hurry, but just wanted to tell you that, in order to get a diagnosis of TS, there needs to be BOTH motor tics and vocal ones. It doesnt seem like your son has any vocal tics yet? I sure know what it is like to try to function with something like this and not have health insurance! In the meantime I would suggest that you follow the basic protocol of trying to eliminate anything that could be a trigger for your son by starting with artificial foodstuffs like coloring, sweeteners like Aspartame(NutraSweet) and Splenda etc, also MSG, and preservatives and high fructose corn syrup. Those seem to universally be tic triggers. Also try to give him a good pure daily multivitamin(without coloring added!) and maybe some extra calcium/magnesium/zinc combination (ask the pharmacist for an age appropriate dose on or give half the adult dose) and also a good Omega complex (preferably a blended one that has more than just fishoil...some kids tic more with just fish oil) Take a look at this article on tic triggers from Dr Rogers here at Latitudes/ACN and see if any of these may be setting your son's tics off http://latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm and in reading the many useful posts here, you will notice how many of us have found ways to help reduce tics. Do stay in touch here as there are so many experiences and great info to learn from gotta go now so bye! Cheri

I am so glad you found the Forum and that the info was helpful to you. I heard a discussion on the subject again the other day on CNN and it was fascinating....guess it reinforces that old saying again that even the best things are only good when done in moderation! All the best to you......

That is great info Susanna and will hopefully help others here too who have this. I also wanted to point out that with many Intergrative Doctors, because they have a Conventional medical practice along with the Alternative specialization, very often the HMOs and Insurance Cos will cover the treatments they prescribe, and most often they do at least cover the doctor visits!

Hey Claire you are far too valuable a member of our group to disappear for a month!! I was not at all upset at being "misquoted"...just had to clarify in case someone misunderstood and took offense! I know what it is like to work long hours...I now have seven online venues to maintain and work from home too, so combining business, housework, mommy, wife and everything else sometimes gets sooooooooooooo overwhelming! So I do sympathise and empathise and hope you will still be here to share and care in the special way that you do

That is what i really love about the team we have.................they all willingly work together and refer to each other when an area is not their speciality....there is also a pediatrician and a chiropractor and numerous other "specialists" on the team(gynegologist, endocrinologist,nutritionist, massage, accupuncture, reflexology, biofeedback, radiogenics, homeopathy, to name but a few).....some are in the same office as the MD who oversees the team, others have their own separate practices.........they share info by phone and often also have group meetings to discuss the progress and protocol for individual patients.....I realise this is not a common phenomenon, but I do hear of more of these Integrative teams forming, so that is encouraging. Thanks too for the pointer to the George Will article...I am off to find it!

Rose As you invited critique .......... I asked someone on BrainTalk who has qualifications and personal experience too in this area to read this thread and comment on your theory, and this was their reply

Hi Mommy and welcome to Latitudes Please let us know if there is any specific information that you require...it can sometimes all get a little overwhelming with all the alternative treatments available. Be encouraged that there is MUCH reason to feel hopeful that you CAN improve your child's quality of life, and, although TS itself is not curable (yet ) still there are ways to reduce the symptoms to the point of not having it rule one's life!