Chemar

Hi Bonnie Yes, acupuncture has always been a primary tic calmer for my son. He has been having it since he was 10yo Just be sure to pick someone who does clinical acupuncture, and preferably one who has experience with TS I don't know how effective it would be though if it is those braces that are triggering the tics!

Hi short answer is yes, illness and infections can and do make TS tics worse. Also, considering this was a strep infection, you may also want to investigate whether there is a possible PANDAS component to his tics and OCD

Hi I am not speaking of strep in your son's case In your first post you said A virus can cause PANS which is different from PANDAS. PANS can be triggered by any microbe whereas PANDAS is from strep. You said your child had a virus and since then has had that cough tic. That could be a manifestation of PANS

Hi I am a little confused when you say ?Bacteria and viruses are different organisms and so are treated differently too. But both are microbes that can cause infections. There was press coverage about a girl who could not stop sneezing and it turned out she had PANDAS (which is specifically from strep bacterial infection)

Hi and welcome whenever there has been a viral or other microbial infection preceding the onset of tics etc, it really is a good idea to investigate what is now known as PANS I am not saying that is what is causing the problem with his voice/cough....but it is just something worth checking into what kind of virus was it? We have a forum for PANDAS/PANS where parents can give you more info http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showforum=17

Hi and welcome I am bumping your post up so others here can reply

my son was on GABA once for anxiety, but we did not notice any positive or negative effect from it on tics at that time. I have been told that one does need to be careful with GABA, not using it longterm and that it should never be abruptly started or stopped but always titrated up or down I am not sure if that is the same with these chewables?

my son did not do well on just regular Vit B6 but the P-5-P form of it has always been very beneficial to him. He uses the NOW brand The only B-Complex that he tolerates is by Thorne Research

Hi Kids Calm is a multivitamin but it is not specifically designed to be high magnesium for tics. The manufacturer's of Kids Calm also make Natural Calm which is only magnesium and that is what people with TS find helpful for tics. However, a good multivitamin is also highly recommended for overall health benefits which then indirectly help people with tics.

welcome Joshua I am just bumping your thread up so members here can respond

Hi there if you do a search on the forum you will find many past threads where there are reports of dental work triggering tics for some people with TS

Hi Jim re the Nutiva coconut oil. ....We were told never to heat it above 350 degrees as it denatures then and not only loses health benefits, but can become unhealthy. My son has had overly heated coconut oil and it caused nasty Crohn's symptoms for him and flash saute of pre steamed veggies with just dash of olive oil is so quick that it doesn't cause any problems there either ghee is our fat of choice tho for saute` as I mentioned, I am not referring to frying which we never do.

I think the important thing with this warning is, like with ANY drug that has a warning, regular monitoring is what is essential. Just like with drugs that are known to have higher liver toxicity, where regular monitoring of liver enzymes is wise, so now with CV monitoring. I know if my child was on azith, that is what I would be doing. The discussion I see on Journal Watch is that they are not saying "stop using azith!!" but rather, if you are using it, just be sure to be monitored.

Hi just so I understand...when you refer to "cooking oils" are you saying you are trying to fry the food in these oils?? or are you giving them as a supplement? If you are cooking in them, just be aware that most oils change dramatically in nature when heated and can actually become unhealthy. This includes coconut oil and flaxseed oil, which are best used unheated for their health benefits. We don't fry anything and if we saute` it is in a little extra virgin olive oil or ghee. If you are giving the oils as a supplement and seeing bad effects then your child may be allergic or intolerant to them. There are a lot of anecdotal reports of people with TS who are fine eating fish but who react very negatively to fish oil, often with increased tics. usually they may tolerate flaxseed oil better, but if not, freshly ground flaxseeds can still give t he healthy Omega benefits. Extra virgin coconut oil (we like Nutiva) has tremendous health benefits and gives a lovely flavor to food...but again, dont heat the oil! just stir a teaspoon or two into the food. It is great stirred into warm oatmeal or veggies or soups, and has antimicrobial properties as well.

My son has benefited greatly from Epsom Baths and still takes them. Nightly when needed is fine, otherwise a few times a week. The magnesium in the salts is a relaxant and of course also provides transdermal magnesium which people with TS seem to benefit from The sulfate (sulphur) is a detox and has other health benefits too Epsom bath seems to help calm tics and restlessness, and promote peaceful sleep We use 2 cups epsom in a full tub of water, so 1 cup is best for a half tub. When my son doesn't have time or inclination for a full soak, he uses his Homedic foot bath with 1/2 cup epsom and finds this very soothing

The FDA issued this alert on Tuesday 3/12/13 http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm343350.htm more info on some of the research that led to this alert http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1003833

Hi Danny I moved your post to the OCD forum as I don't think? you were referring to OCD as related to PANDAS/PANS right? Inositol has a good track record and very few people appear to have side effects provided they do not take the very high doses for too long. It does not have the fatigued zombie etc side effects that those SSRI's like zoloft give 500 mg/day is considered a "maintenance" dose by some, but for intense OCD, adults can take up to 14 grams a day, but only very short term........ and then should go back down to around a gram a day...at least that is what we were told. We found it least expensive at iherb.com, and buying the powder rather than the capsules

Hi the ingredients in Candida Clear are a lot more comprehensive imo, especially with the capryllate which is considered a major candida buster, but also the other factors as well See the main list as well as the other ingredients) http://www.nowfoods....ion/M002790.htm The product you mention appears part homeopathic/ part herbal so may be beneficial but lacks a number of the important ingredients in the Candida Clear

Hello turmeric and ginger are good anti-inflammatory spices but any direct helpfulness with tics per se is not something I have heard of, only an indirect help in terms of reducing any inflammation that may exist. They are often used for digestive ailments as well.

Hi and welcome yes, tics and compulsions can be linked, termed Tourettic OCD Many people do try to suppress tics, especially ones that are socially embarrassing or that involve things that are considered "bad" ...so I am not suprised she is not just doing the tics but still feeling the urge to eventually tho, a tic will usually out and may manifest in a different way Some therapists discourage suppression of tics, as it can lead to stress and then manifest in a worse way, often more intensely OCD than tic...a generally more acceptable way is to redirect the tic or substitute it...eg finding a sound that is not the bad or rude words but still gives the release with the sound it makes

Short answer...yes, those "offensive" foods will bring on a reaction that quickly. The more sensitive the child's system, the faster the reaction. Also, when they have been avoiding triggering foods and then get exposed to even a tiny amount, a big reaction can occur. I am beyond shocked that someone was using an insecticide spray around kids and food at a party!!!!!! My son would react to just walking into a room that had been treated hours before with pesticide!!! The difference before and after candida treatment was phenomenal for us...not just my son but our whole family. We used Candida Clear by NOW as well as dietary restrictions. Our doctor did not like Nystatin or diflucan etc, but recommended the natural herbs etc that are found in candida clear, which includes capryllic acid... as an aside.....I wish they wouldn't call it "yeast" as it is so confusing for some people...candida isn't even a true yeast but a different kind of fungus..... We have a number of anecdotal reports here about dairy increasing tics for many kids, including increased voacl tics

My son was on it for about 6 mths total but we saw results almost immediately. He went off it for a few weeks but when a yelping tic started, went back on it again Some years later he tried it again and did not like the effect. He was much older then (He is 24 now) When I search the word carnitine on Tourette/tics forum I get well over 500 results?

Hi and welcome there are a number of reports of the amino acid l-carnitine helping with vocal tics. It is not intended for long term use but can be very effective short term. My son had an intense screaming tic during the months after he was weaned off the TS meds and l-carnitine was suggested by our physician and helped greatly. He was 11 yo at the time and on 500mg a day of the l-carnitine. We used the NOW brand. If you do a forum search, you will find posts by others on it as well

Hi Michael yes there are a number of anecdotal reports here of tics related to "irritated" areas

Hi shaunms you really do need a doctor to identify the tics but yes, they do appear to be tics Although I agree you should possibly find out about PANDAS (tics and other neuro symptoms triggered by strep) at the same time MANY cases of tics have absolutely nothing to do with PANDAS or infections of any kind, so please do also check into other things too. Tics can be caused by Tourette Syndrome, allergies (food and environmental), teeth/jaw issues, flicker from TV/computer screens and a host of other things in addition to infections and other illness. Obsessions and compulsions and other behavioral changes can also accompany TS, not just PANDAS We have some helpful threads here (see my signature below) and also a great book written by Sheila Rogers on natural ways to help treat tics (http://www.latitudes.org/book.html) Finding a doctor who is clued up on all these things is really so beneficial as most just take the "it is TS, let's medicate" approach!. I hope you find the answers you need.