Chemar

Hi Kim I feel for you re the coprolalia......it is a hard tic to deal with isnt it. We are also a Christian family, and it really distressed my son so deeply when he was having coprolalia! Thankfully, since we dropped the meds and went alternative, things are SO much better...... like you, I attribute all of this to God's Faithfulness in answering the many prayers that have been offered for my son! He is 13 now and just got back from a Youth Mission trip to Nicaragua. His recovery from severe tics and OCD etc has been truly miraculous and I too thank the Lord for his leading and guidance on finding information to help my son. This website is another one of the many blessings that we all have!

Hi Erika someone just posted on the BrainTalk board about how calcium/magnesium/zinc supplements have helped with tics involving hitting oneself. Did you also see the new positive reports they left there for you on Pfeiffer and a Dr Rapp in Chicago hope that hitting tic is on the wane

Hi Jennifer It took me a couple of days to find these links re GABA hope this gives you some info http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Fo...TML/003856.html I found this interesting site...testamonials from parents around the world using supplements etc: http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/makemoneynet.../Decezinea.html

Hi again Erika I am not sure if you have been reading this board or the one over at BrainTalk lately, but in case you missed it, you got some replies to your post over there .......here is the link http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Fo...TML/005299.html Hope your little guy is doing ok and you too

Excellent book. Excellent advice. cleansing and detoxing is so good, especially if you have been on meds...and then a strong supplement schedule for maintenance. And making foods from scratch where possible eliminates so much of the stuff that can trigger tics. I really feel from our family's experience that this has been a multi-faceted approach to health.....because it has incorporated everything from the physiology to the environment to the psychology...... People with Ts so often have those troublesome spectrum disorders too...OCD,AD(H)D,SID(Sensory Integration Dysfunction) and often some of the mood issues of depression, anxiety,rage,defiance etc etc and these can influence the tic severity and vv. All these things need to be modulated to balance things out and that is where the blending of all these many natural treatments, eliminations and other therapies plays such a vital role. We have also found acupuncture and reflexology to be VERY beneficial to my son when tics or the other disorders are on the wax........it seems to have a stabilizing and relaxing effect that reduces the severity and duration .

Dear Erika It is so scary when a tic is self-injurious isnt it? My son has a number of tics that have been like that! tho it has been MUCH better since he is off meds and on supplements You cant really change a tic.....it only makes it worse the more attention you pay or the more you try to get it different or suroressed. Often OCD is involved, and the cjild feels they "have" to do the tic "just right" The best you can do is try to provide props to help eg a small pillow to bang against.......my son once wore gloves for a while so he wouldnt poke at himself during a particularly strong tic. Arnica cream from health stores is a wonderful natural remedy that quickly heals bruises. All you can really do is love him thru it and just gently find ways to lessen the hurt the tics cause without putting too much pressure on him Im not sure if you have him on the vitamins/supplements yet, but 4yo is an excellent time to start to help him for the years to follow. hugs to you and your son

Hi Barbara My son is 13 and has been med free for almost 2 years on a supplement regimen which is having remarkable results. He was on meds (including the dreaded Haldol) for 1 year and it was a nightmare....he had horrible side effects and his OCD intensified......he was far worse off on drugs. If you read the other threads here on Ts & vitamins/supplements as well as the Any Alternatives thread you will see what I posted yesterday about the alternative treatments that have helped my son. There really IS hope......med free! My son has his life back instead of it being totally controlled by his TS/OCD

Hi I just posted this on another thread here but I am going to put it here as well for your interest We dont use Bonnie's actual products as they are just too high for my budget, but I know those that do sing their praises. I use a modified regimen for my son based on Bonnies plan and it works wonderfully Anyway, here is what I posted on the other thread and I will put the link to the BrainTalk Forum that Bonnie posts on at the bottom of the page ""I am not sure how much you know about supplements as an alternative to meds for tic relief. My son was on meds for a year with HORRIBLE side effects........for the last almost 2 years he has been med-free and on supplements and the results are remarkable. We also discovered that hehad some food reactivities, especially pnuts,artificial adds&colors etc) and eliminating these from his diet really helps. He also finds acupuncture & reflexology very helpful when tics are on the wax..... There is also great benefit in a new technology known as biofeedback. The supplement program we follow is based on that recommended by Bonnie Grimaldi. She has now formulated her own products BonTech (www.BonnieGr.com) but her original recommendations are at this link http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5207/ts_ma...bonnie_sup.html Although this list may seem intimidating at first, you can simply use it as a guideline.......we find that a good multivite, combined with some combination formulas that provide the extra stuff works just fine. As my son is often bothered more by his OCD than the tics, we have added some additional herbs and supplements specifically to help with this."" BrainTalk TS Forum http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/cgi-bi...er=99&SUBMIT=Go

Hi Kim I am not sure how much you know about supplements as an alternative to meds for tic relief. My son was on meds for a year with HORRIBLE side effects........for the last almost 2 years he has been med-free and on supplements and the results are remarkable. We also discovered that hehad some food reactivities, especially pnuts,artificial adds&colors etc) and eliminating these from his diet really helps. He also finds acupuncture & reflexology very helpful when tics are on the wax..... There is also great benefit in a new technology known as biofeedback. The supplement program we follow is based on that recommended by Bonnie Grimaldi. She has now formulated her own products BonTech (http://www.BonnieGr.com) but her original recommendations are at this link http://www.geocities.com/Area51/5207/ts_ma...bonnie_sup.html Although this list may seem intimidating at first, you can simply use it as a guideline.......we find that a good multivite, combined with some combination formulas that provide the extra stuff works just fine. As my son is often bothered more by his OCD than the tics, we have added some additional herbs and supplements specifically to help with this. Hope this info is helpful to you

Hi There Chlorine is a very definite tic trigger for my son...... it is real hard to balance as being in water seems to calm tics, and so much water has chlorine.......from tub to pools. We had a discussion recently on the BrainTalk Forum about the survey here at Latitudes and what sets our kids off......... you may want to add chlorine there as I dont think any of us remembered to add it here's the link http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Fo...TML/005226.html

Hi I so agree that the management of environmental triggers for tics is way beyond just diet. My son has spent some time documenting his tic triggers (inspired by the tic survey done here on ACN) and they range from diet to sound to light to tactile to emotional........... There was quite an interesting discussion on this on the BrainTalk TS Forum if anyone is interested http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Fo...TML/005226.html Jeff.....you may want to post your info on the Feingold Diet on that Forum too as a new topic......I am sure there are many people there who would benefit from it

Hi Paul I have used this website so often and never came to the Forum.....good to see you here. My son loves that little TSA guy that you have in your signature. He leaves for Nicaragua on Tuesday (says trembling Mom) but I know it is going to be a life-changing opportunity for a 13yr old . He will have all his supplements given by the nurse practitioner who is going as one of the chaperones, so hopefully the tics and OCD will remain in waning mode...my biggest concern is the heat there as I know that overheating can be a trigger......I bought him one of those mister bottles to help.....and a little keyring style b/o fan.....they are going to be helping to build the orphanage for the little church there so they will be working in the heat....sure hope the gadgets help cool him a bit. OOOH! I am really nervous about this trip......but, I gotta learn to let go.... Have a good night