Chemar

Claire, I am SO relieved for you and your son that he is responding to the neurotherapy. Some call it achieving alpha rythm state. .....are you aware that braces can be tic triggers? Sorry to only be getting to this now...... the doc who gave us most support and guidance is a developmental pediatrician who practices conventional med side by side with alternative, and so very knowledgable and informed. The psychiatrist is conventional, but up on alternatives and also willing to study something when one brings him info The accupuncturist/biofeedback/radiogenics people are qualified in their particular fields. We were directed to them all by an MD who is conventionally trained, but now practices alternative med exclusively. 5HTP and SJW directly elevate seratonin via biochem pathways whereas the SSRI drugs do so by INHIBITING it's reuptake and so maintaining a higher level than would occur in their absence. HTH I really feel for your son on the lip thing......just have to point out again that for mine this was OCD/TS working together. If your doc agrees, the 5HTP REALLY may help here

I guess as long as there is no color, flavor or MSG I gather these must be the plain(original) Pringles rather than the flavored ones My son Loooves Doritos, but they are like pure poison to him as they are loaded with junk, especially the MSG. Another nasty for him is Vanilla Coke...he absolutley adores it BUT it really makes him tic big time...he doesnt get to have soda much but sometimes at parties or youthgroup that is all they have, so he has learned to stick to Sprite or 7-Up which dont seem to be so bad. It is so hard isnt it as they are surrounded with all this stuff everywhere they go, and the telly keeps telling them how grrrrrreat it all is... My son really has learned now by bitter experience to avoid things that set his tics off, so it makes my job easier, but when he was younger i had to be a real watchdog

ack! Read the label and you will have your question answered on Pringles

Bonnie just posted this on the BrainTalk board, so I wanted to give you the info here re your vitamins

Yes, the yeast in bread is BREWERS YEAST which is healthy and very rich in B vitamins. Many people (including my family) take Brewers yeast supplement tablets for overall health. As to the probiotic drink you mention...I am not sure what "aroma" is, nor "oligofructose" nor "invert sugar syrup"... so I cant make any comment on those, but the rest looks good.

Claire ALL artificial sweeteners are IMO bad. Sucralose(Splenda) is in fact CHLORINATED sugar(and we have had many discussions on chlorine as a tic trigger!) Stevia is not artificial, and so ok, but it is very strong and my family does not like the taste. We use pure Turbinado sugar, maple syrup and honey for sweetening. Cant help with the gum, but a health store may know. efgh Candida albicans, the yeast parasite, is different from Brewers Yeast used in bread etc(which is actually very healthy) Yeast (candida a) overgrowth usually occurs after frequent or longterm antibiotic use, or excessive use of sugar and/or alcohol. You can have a blood test done to see if it is a problem, and then follow dietary guidelines with either prescription meds or alternative Caprylic Acid to get rid of it. Candida, like all parasites and infections, can be a tic trigger. It is not related to bread and what you are calling yeast foods......rather it is a fungus that lives internally, often in the digestive system, and feeds off sugars. The bigger problem that some find with breads is the GLUTEN content, which some people find to be a tic trigger. We had skin testing and radiogenic work done to identify allergens. Dr Robbins thread is a closed one (for reading only) but you can direct questions for him via Sheila I think

The only time you have "familial" Ts is if you are dealing with a genetic situation. You cant "catch" TS It usually shows more frequently in boys than girls. I have 2 sons...the oldest is 17 and has no TS, learning disabilities or anything else that we know of. My younger one has the full spectrum! My husband and his dad showed TS/OCD/ADD/SID etc. Their are a variety of alternative physicians around. Our primary one is a developmental pediatrician who is qualified in both conventional and alternative medical practice. We also see a GP, who is likewise dual qualified. Our neurologist is conventional, but open to alternative suggestions, as is the psychiatrist. It took a lot of searching to find them!!!

hi again hair analysis is done to determine whether their are deficiencies or toxins etc in the system. My son had this done AFTER we had already had blood tests to check for parasites like Candida(yeast) etc and strep culture and other viruses, as well as to dtermine his blood levels of certain hormones and also minerals etc. When the hair analysis came back (which we primarily had done to determine if he had mercury and other heavy metal toxicity) we were quite amazed at how the hair analysis mirrired the blood work in terms of mineral balances etc. Some people (including Bonnie I think) dont have much faith in the hair analysis tho. Also, any testing you have done should be run by a reputable laboratory as those are the only reliable results. Again, Bonnie has lots of good info on all this. Our alternative physician was very on the ball, and so took care of all the details for us. Multivtamins ARE supplements....what I was referring to was the now documented SPECIFIC supplements that are helpful for OCD & TS etc. I posted my list of things we use for you earlier on your other thread. I have had my kids on multivitamin/mineral supps since weaning...but it wasnt until I heard about Bonnies research that i realised that supplements could also be used as "medicine" I honestly know nothing about floradix so i would suggest emailing Jennifer on this. As to doseages, if there are no clear guidelines on the labels, I would once again refer you to either Bonnie or your physician. My son is 14 and built like a football player! so he takes adult doses, or as recommended by our physician. Bonnie really is a very helpful person, and truly is the expert when it comes to supplements. Although she quite rightfully recommends her own products because she knows their track record, nevertheless she always graciously extends help and provides info to any parent who contacts her, even if they arent using her products. You can reach her thru her website's contact info http://BonnieGr.com bye for now

Hi efgh Allergies do seem to often run in TS people, and dairy and gluten seem high on the list. Calcium supplements are the best way to ensure correct dietary calcium intake, and their are also other foods rich in calcium, plus, the incidence of allergies to goats milk products is very low. We found hair analysis to be very informative and it certainly was very closely alligned with the blood tests we ran As to thyroid problems and TS......I have not encountered this personally so cant make much comment on that. I will be in and out today so I will check back later

Hi Your vitamins/minerals look good in terms of the ones included. Once you know what your dx is, you may want to add some others I would also ask Bonnie, as she has some input on oxides,gluconates etc., but until you know if this is TS or not, those seem ok as a start

efgh we have a lot of parents on the BrainTalk board who are not in the USA (many from Australia, UK, some even further like Israel etc!) so there might still be physician referrals available. I dont believe that an occasional trip to McDonalds would be seriously detrimental, especially since you limit it to the nuggets and fries. I allow my son some indulgence too ..... kids need to feel "normal" and sometimes being too limiting can make them feel as tho they are being punished for ticcing which is a very bad idea. Balance is what is most helpful. My definition of junk food is far more coloring laden food or stuff with artificial sweeteners (diet sodas are FAR MORE unhealthy than regular, because of the POISON aspartame aka Nutrasweet in them IMHO.... see http:// www.mercola.com ) Things like Doritos and those types of snacks and even some Campbells soups are laden with junk like MSG and artificial flavors, colors etc READING LABELS is the best prevention. My son was dx ADD and CAPD at age 4 The tics probably started then too, except we didnt recognise them as such He rolled his eyes. they dx him with vision problems and he got glasses. He also had a lot of fears and phobias early on, which was probably the OCD but the docs paid no attention and said it was just "normal childhood stuff" Just before his 10th birthday, he went into a deep and troubling depression for no apparant reason ...... he has a great sense of humor so this was very alarming. We even feared some terrible things may have happened, but thankfully those fears were unfounded. Instead, he began to tic severely and sometimes self injuriously...chin banging, eye poking, lots more that I shudder to even remember. He was dx TS/OCD and went for a year med free(he was on a multivit but i didnt know about the supps then) but then we were told by a psychologist that we were "denying him a full life" by not putting him on meds and foolishly,tho well-meaningly, we allowed him to go on Haldol which started a nightmare journey as the docs kept trying to quell side effects with new meds and my son turned into a psychotic zombie!! I dont want to dwell on that period ..so i will just say that, after one year on the meds roller coaster, when Zyprexa nearly killed him, he begged us to let him stop meds and we fully agreed. God Bless the person at a local Tourette Syndrome Assocn meeting who told me about Bonnie's research (she hadnt started her Bontech co yet to produce her supps) so I studied her recommendations from that link http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5207/ts_ma...bonnie_sup.html and, after research and consultation with a pediatrician who is qualified in both conventional and alternative medicine, I began the supplements, and accupuncture etc and we have had only steady improvement ever since. He is now 14 and so we have had 4 years of living with TS and have learned how to accept and adapt...with, i must add, much answered prayer! Duration of tics is as varied as the tics themselves......some can last only a few days and other can be months (or years as some TS adults attest) Tics wax and wane and that is just a cold hard fact about TS.....you can help the intensity and sometimes the duration by the supps and diet etc...but if it is actual TS...they are still going to come and go. Do try not to worry too much. It is only going to drain you. Rather just put that energy to positive use and learn all you can cope with, in small doses so you dont get overwhelmed....but most important, get those PANDAS tests, allergy tests and hopefully a diagnosis so you can move forward.

hi again efgh Yes..TS people do seem to have high IQ, but often do also have varying learning disabilities. In my son's case it is ADD (no H) and CAPD(central auditory processing dysfunction) Along with this, many also seem to have the OCD as well as Sensory Integration Dysfunction. When my son was first diagnosed, we found it best to be proactive at school and provided doctors letters as well as educational evaluations. I know some people try to avoid this as they feel there is a stigma attached to labelling a child, but we have consistently found that letting teachers and other kids know why he tics or struggles with eg handwriting and comprehensive studies etc has meant that he gets special accomodations (eg allowed to use dictaphone to take notes, can type his reports etc instead of writing them, and a whole lot more!) and the kids now understand his tics etc and accept him for who he is.....he has a lot of friends and is doing really well academically and socially. We did try a special school for one year but, when we took him off the meds they were insistant that there could be problems(without even waiting to see!) and so i homeschooled for the remainder of that school year and then he started at a small and very caring church school which has been just wonderful. He had previously been at a larger church school since K4, but I am sorry to say they were not very accomodating to his needs and that was when we tried the special school. I have heard good and bad reports on how public schools handle special needs kids, and gather it depends very much on the school. Whatever.....I would strongly recommend that you tell teachers etc ...it is HORRIBLE for a ticcing child to be punished for something over which they have no control!!! My son has had a vast range of vocal tics from simple to complex and from hardly noticeable to shouting and screeching. Thankfully that ended when the supps kicked in!!! He still has m,ore vocal than motor tics and now days they are more quiet UGHS etc. And yes, he also has dealt with coprolalia, which was hard, but he devoloped a coping strategy for substituting similar sounds and syllables and so not offending anyone. He did have sleep problems before we started supps and dietary control. Now he sleeps well and peacefully, tho only on a VERY firm mattress on the floor with tightly fitted sheets and light covers. I think the 5HTP also helps him sleep better. efgh, if I can give you just one bit of valuable advice it would be primarily to NOT become stressed out and over anxious and ESPECIALLY dont keep drawing attention to the tics. This makes things FAR WORSE as anyone with tics will tell you. As soon as other people appear to notice the tics, they intensify. And when the kid tries to suppress them, it is like shaking a soda bottle with a cork in it......sooner or later that cork is going to blow out, and often the result of suppressing tics is intensified tics PLUS OCD! I want to point you to a post I made on BrainTalk (link below) on parent's learning to accept tics that are not serious......I hope it can help you to relax and not get too stressed out over this. Yes! It is scary to deal with at first, and as loving parents we hate to see our kids even have a cold, never mind a neurological disorder....but is this is TS then you are going to have to accept it, and just do your best to provide the healthy lifestyle and supplements and diet that have been proven to help...but THERE IS NO KNOWN "CURE'......some people find relief with medications, but the overwhelming majority report that the side effects from the meds are worse than ticcing. http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Fo...TML/005569.html efgh.......it would be a really good idea to try to find a neurologist or developmental pediatrician who is experienced in diagnosing TS and tic-disorders, OCD etc so that you can know what you are dealing with. With knowledge comes power, as then you know how to treat. Hopefully you will find someone who recognises things like PANDAS etc and knows a bit about the underlying vitamin and mineral deficiencies associated with TS. Many doctors are extremely ignorant and just see it as a genetic disorder that gets treated with drugs! Big NO_NO! If you let me know what area you are in I may be able to find some recommendations on godd physicians in your area. Hang in there....we have all been in the confused and frightened position that you are in now...but be encouraged...whether this is a transient tic situation or full blown TS.....there is great hope. My son is a walking testimony of that. Bye now Cheri

Claire I know you have mentioned that your son has a problem swallowing pills. There have been success reports in getting kids to swallow the pills by taking a drink thru a straw! Dont know why it works, but it seems to. May be a way to get flaxseed oil capsules in for your son.

Hi Claire, yes..my son takes the St Johns Wort(minimal dose) in the morning and the 5HTP(again minimal dose) in the evening. The St Johns also elevates seratonin, but seems not to make him sleepy like the 5HTP does We only combine them under physicians direction, and, as I mentioned, at minimum dose, so the overall result is achiving the seratonin elevation that my son benefits from My warning about not mixing them is far more for the person who is going to simply add them without consultation of checking on the doses......this can cause a spiking in seratonin, and that is not good. I am so glad to hear that the fears have subsided.

So sorry no one responded here Annie The best person to speak to about doses for children is Bonnie Grimaldi, who has formulated special supplements. Her website is at http://www.BonnieGr.com Just email her and she will answer back

Hi INOSITOL (vit B8) has been found to be very beneficial in panic attacks http://community.healthgate.com/GetContent...d=/tnp/pg000671

Hi Al I usually only post on the TS board but just checked in here and noticed your post. It does sound like some OCD symptoms. If they are not bothersome to you then just let them be. If they cause you problems, it is good to get diagnosis and treatment. My son has OCD along with Tourette Syndrome. We did not find much help from the medications that the doctors put him on but have seen a great improvement since he started on supplements, specifically 5HTP, Inositol and GABA. (these should not be taken with prescription meds tho) all the best Cheri

Claire Excercise stimulates ENDORPHINS which are natural opiates in the brain and so bring about a tremendous sence of well-being. Some kids self-injure to release endorphins to get that happy "rush"! That IS why excercise is so good. D-Phenylalanine(NOT L-) stimulates endorphin production, but the phenylalanines are not good for tics so....... stick with the excercise....and as he gets older, real work outs help (my son uses the equipment at the YMCA) YIKES!! Your neurotherapist is somewhat excessive in cost. Our guy (highly qualified, also a lecturer at the local institute for alternative medicine, and guest speaker abroad at seminars etc) only charges $95 per hour and he does the biofeedback simultaneously with accupuncture and foot reflexology!! BTW, have you heard about the method of swallowing pills by taking the water or whatever to get them down thru a straw. Highly recommended.

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. It helps to raise seratonin levels. People with OCD are often deficient in seratonin Here are informative links for info on 5HTP http://community.healthgate.com/GetContent...d=/tnp/pg000141 http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/subs...525,747,00.html http://www.doctormurray.com/B5htpFAQ.htm GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) is a non-essential amino acid found mainly in the human brain and eyes. It is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it regulates brain and nerve cell activity by inhibiting the number of neurons firing in the brain. GABA is referred to as the "brain's natural calming agent." By inhibiting over-stimulation of the brain, GABA may help promote relaxation and ease nervous tension. more info on GABA here http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/subs...5,10027,00.html Bonnie does not yet have these supplements in her program as they are primarily for depression, anxiety, OCD etc. She does include INOSITOL (vit B8) which is also very beneficial for OCD more on Inositol http://community.healthgate.com/GetContent...d=/tnp/pg000671 When my son was in the severe phase of his TS/OCD it most certainly interfered with academics and social life. The meds we tried for 1 year made things far worse. He has been med-free and on the supps for 2 years now, and things are great. Yes, he still has tics, but they are mild. his OCD/depresion/anxiety/phobias are almost non-existant and even the ADD and Sensory Integration Dysfunction is MUCH improved (I think this is thanks in part to the combo of Flaxseed & Borage oil) Touching things repetitively is often OCD related, but some people also have touching tics. We have come to understand that TS & OCD frequently overlap in such a way as to become intertwined, with tics becoming OCDs and OCDs becoming tics. That certainly has been my son's experience. My son tics a lot less when he is very focussed on something and after excercise. Hope this helps Back again later!

Phew! Lots of questions so let me try to answer in order...... starting with Claire's Qs We started the biofeedback in combination with accupuncture when he was still on meds and only taking a regular daily multivitamin. When he went on supps we continued. The biofeedback is done by our accupuncturist who is highly qualified in all this. He started boifeedback in 2000. He did become sleepy and relaxed after the sessions, and so we usually did them late afternoon so he could come back to sleep. It was also stressed that he should drink LOTS of water while having this treatment. I should also point out that our therapist worked in conjunction with a radiogenics expert to fine tune the treatment. Radiogenics is controversial in this country, but a recognised alternative medical practise in the UK and Europe. We were astonished to see how the radiogenic diagnostics consistently confirmed blood & other routine testing!!! Once everything started to stabilise, we started to reduce the sessions (primarily for finacial reasons) so that we went from weekly to bimonthly to monthly. Now, he only goes for 'tune-ups" ie if he has been ill or if in a major waxing phase of either tics or OCDs. As his system seems SO much stronger now (I believe because of the supps and diet etc) he hardly ever is ill and we dont see tic or OCD flareups that are severe enough to cause concern. I personally would not wait to introduce supps for OCD, Claire. Yes, it is good to know what works for what, but the purpose is to bring relief, and so a two headed approach is surely beneficial. My son had relief from both tics and OCD symptoms from the biofeedback COMBINED with the accupuncture, BUT it really wasnt till he started on 50mg 5HTP per day that his OCD subsided enough not to be interfering with his life. The OCD was always far more bothersome and actually dangerous for him.....yes, there were obsessive rituals etc, but it was more the self-injurious compulsions (skin picking, eye poking, lip biting, tooth grinding etc etc) that needed drastic attention. The meds he was given only made that worse...and actually made him psychotic. As soon as he started the 5HTP, it was an immediate positive result. Now, he still mildly likes to order things etc but nothing really bothersome. He also takes 500mg each of INOSITOL & GABA per day for OCD. efgh my sons OCD started long before the tics. When he was in severe TS mode, he would have tics that became OCDs and OCDs that became tics.....and this was often disabling and sometimes very disturbing. As I explained above, the supps that were recommended to help with this have been amazing in their positive results. I should point out tho that he does take the full range of supps recommended for TS so i do believe that they all work in combination to bring the good results. YES! The strep of PANDAS is frequently different strains of the virus from the one that causes strep throat, and can be undetected other than by a blood culture which identifies any and all strep in the system. Our physician recommended a wide spectrum culture and so we checked for a vast group of viruses. My son was not infected with strep and so did not fall into the PANDAS group. When strep is identified, the treatment is with antibiotics and the tics and OCD symptoms immediately die down If there is also a true TS Dx then the tics dont necessarily disappear completely, but the intensity is reduced. As to tics increasing with TV etc.....you have possibly read that many people find this a trigger and Claire has clearly shown this to be a MAJOR trigger for her child In our experience, fluorescent light is a BIG NO-NO!!! The subtle "flicker" that it produces sets my sons tics off and i have heard it from others too. As to MSG...yes, just like with the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup, it is added to a lot of packaged and canned food. That is why i try to cook from scratch and rather freeze tubs of homemade food in individual servings, rather than buy the yuck stuff. It is easy once you start to even make your own snacks etc with pure ingredients....and my son now loves pure fruit juice mixed with Syfo seltzer water instead of sodas......we make our own frozen juice posicles, bake thin potato slices with olive oils and Nature's Seasoning etc etc I read labels very carefully and thankfully there are still some companies that dont add nasties. I forgot to mention that ALLERGIES can also be major tic triggers so you could either have tests done, or note by observation if your child reacts to certain foodstuffs either with increased tics, OCDs, hyperactivity etc. You mentioned asthma before, so you already are aware of dairy etc....also check gluten, some nuts etc. BTW Pyroluria is characterized by a deficiency in VitB6 & zinc, and TS people who have this show immediate tic reduction when this deficiency is supplemented. I have posted before on what I give my son, but thought I would copy it here too, efgh, for your interest OK gotta go......I will check in again later Cheri

Hi again yesterday was hectic re my work so i didnt get a chance to look in here again. Yes, most cases of TS are genetic, and in our case it runs in my husband's side.We did not connect the dots till our son was diagnosed and then, as we learned about TS, my husband realised that the "habits" he had been chastised for as a child, were in facts tics and OCD. It also became clear that his late father's eccentric behavior was in fact TS associated. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that some cases of "TS" or TS-like disorders may just be environmentally triggered....there may be a genetic disposition , tho some even suggest that in certain cases, genetics are ruled out. Still, there are reports of vaccinations, Strep (PANDAS) and other infections, even Yeast (Candida albicans).....remarkably in these cases, when the infections are treated, the tics subside. It is a VERY good advice therefore to have a strep culture done to see if you are dealing with PANDAS......this is not just the strep throat test, it has to be a culture that pick up the other strep viruses. There are also tests that can be run for Pyroluria,(severe mineral deficiency) which has been found in many instances to bethe underlying cause for tic-disorders (If you check out the BrainTalk TS Forum, you will find a lot of discussion on Pyroluria and PANDAS....just use the "search" feature... http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/cgi-bi...er=99&SUBMIT=Go If you are certain that there is no family history of tics or TS then chances are you may be dealing with either a vaccination or infection or deficiency induced situation. As to the dietary control......the first thingsto eliminate are all artificials like food coloring, sweeteners(nutrasweet-aspartame, splenda-sucralose etc etc) MSG & other artificial flavor, preservatives, and if possible the ubiquitous high fructose corn syrup that now seems to be in almost everything man-made! Have you checked out Bonnie Grimaldi's website at http://BonnieGr.com She has formulated TS specific supplements. I dont use her products anymore as my son needs somewhat different combos because his OCD is a bigger factor than his tics, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Bonnie's program if you are in fact dealing with TS......her products are pure and safe. If you prefer, you can also build your own program based on her original research, which is what i have done for my son http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5207/ts_ma...bonnie_sup.html I have added flaxseed/borage/evening primrose to the mix and also specific supplements to address the OCD. I use predominantly Natrol and Now products as they are easily available and fit my tight budget. I also use TwinLab for the more specialized supplements. I try to make all foods from scratch and so avoid the artificial stuff. Time consuming, but it reaps rewards My son's tics only levelled off once we had him on the supplements (He was on prescription meds for a year with DISASTROUS results!!) We have also found accupuncture and biofeedback very helpful Let me know if I can be of any further help..... Cheri

Hello efgh I am on my way out to an appointment so will post more later, but I just wanted to encourage you not to feel overwhelmed by all the info you are getting! TS, although a disorder that has many commonalities in those who have it, still manifests differently too, and the response to certain treatments is also as varied. One thing is for sure, a good, pure multivitamin/mineral supplement benefits everyone. There can often be underlying factors associated with TS such as strep (PANDAS) and pyroluria and other infections or deficiencies. When these are diagnosed and addressed, the tics often subside. Remember that the Feingold diet is not specifically designed for TS, and, although many have benefitted from it, others only need to avoid the things that they are specifically sensitive to. ALL artificial stuff is bad for people ingeneral, and neurological conditions in particular....so it is great that you are eliminating those. As to transient tics......that is characteristic of TS....tics wax and wane and sometimes the same ones return and sometimes new ones emerge. The reason doctors stress vocal tics is that other tic disorders are characterized by motor tics too, but combined motor and vocal usually leads to a TS diagnosis. My soon had what we now know to have been tics from a very young age, but his tics only became truly evident and severe around 10, when he was diagnosed with TS. He is now 14, and still ticcing, but mildly, which we attribute to the supplements and careful dietary and environmental control. We have friends whose children have had strong tics from very young ages (3-4yrs) and know others where tics havent manifested until adolescence.....so, IMHO, this too is varied. However, ten does seem to be a rather common age for manifestation. Hope this sheds some light for you. Try not to be anxious .... there is lots of room for hope! I will check back later Cheri

I just posted this on the thread at BrainTalk too Well.....what a pleasant surprise I got today in the form of a reply to my email to Sen. Feinstein about the importance of easy access to supplements for my son. After having received a canned response from Sen Clinton that she doesnt respond to emails that are not from New York State residents Here is what Sen Feinstein wrote (and I have just sent her a thank you email, again stressing how the parents of kids like mine are relying on her to investigate and give heed to our need for these supplements for our children's health and well-being.)

A few years back it was suggested that my son may need braces. After reading a lot about braces in general and their effect on TS, OCD etc I chatted with my son about it and we mutually decided he should rather have crooked teeth than have braces!!! Guess what.......his teeth straightened as the others came in! I am so glad we decided against braces.

Here ya go......you can email some, like Sen. Durbin, direct and others thru the official online form http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_info...enators_cfm.cfm