tlkinser

I have never been a smoker, but I did find this quote interesting: "Mathews, from the University of California in San Francisco, and her team hypothesized that reductions in oxygen in the womb, a known effect of smoking, could increase the risk of developing Tourette's syndrome in those with a genetic susceptibility." As I've mentioned before, I have antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus anticoagulant, both of which cause recurrent miscarriages due to blood clotting. The clotting would affect the amt of oxygen in the womb so possibly it would have the same effect as a smoker. ?? I'm guessing here... help, Kim!! I have seen signs of tics and/or OCD in all three of my children with my son being the worst. I was able to carry my three children to term with blood thinners- heparin, lovenox, and baby aspirin but was always high risk and monitored very closely. Thank you for the article. Just something else for me to think about... tlk

Hi Nicola, I don't think there is anything specific that my chiropractor does for my son regarding his tics. I think the therapy he is giving my son is the same therapy anyone else would receive. He examined him on the first visit and felt some places along his back and neck that were out of alignment (?? I guess that's what you'd call it.) I had already discussed my son's issues with him during my own chiropractic adjustments when my son was not with me. I brought all of the medical testing results (pediatrician, neurologists and environmental physician) and had many conversations with him regarding my son's tics and the treatments we were pursuing, so we are on the same page with everything. During the three visits that my son has had, he starts out by lying face down on the table. His back is adjusted just as mine is. He then adjusts my son's neck and tells him there is "popcorn" in there so he doesn't get scared when he hears the popping/cracking noises. On the first visit, he also picked my son up and did some kind of adjustment, but he didn't do that on the 2nd or 3rd visit. I will ask him for more details during our visit this week and let you know what I find out. I also wanted to add that our environmental physician promoted seeing a chiropractor; he said that if the spine or core is out of alignment, the entire body can be affected. As I said in my earlier post, I don't think this is THE CURE for my son, but I think it may be one of the pieces that I have been looking for. I hope others can benefit as well.

Hi all, As you may know, my son (5.5 yrs old) has been ticcing everyday since last April. PANDAS dx is still up in the air as he was + for strep via blood work when his tics began but did not get any worse last fall when he again tested + for strep. I have done all of the testing (blood, hair, stool, saliva, urine), tried numerous supplements, made adjustments to his diet including Feingold, cut-out screens, give him Epsom salt baths, and still have not been able to make any conclusions regarding triggers. It has been very frustrating. We have had many good days, but he has still continued to tic, both vocal and motor on a daily basis. I have been taking him to my chiropractor for the past 3 weeks and for the first time in nearly a year, my son has had one whole week (almost 2 weeks, actually) of nearly tic-free days (95% improvement, in my opinion). I stopped all supplements around the time of his first visit because 1) I felt like they weren't helping (maybe even making him worse), and 2) I wanted to know if the chiro was helping vs the effects of the suppplements. He has been 3 times and we have seen SUCH an improvement in his tics as well as his ability to focus and do his schoolwork. Prior to the first visit, he was unable to watch TV or do video games as the screens triggered the tics tremendously. Now, he is able to watch an entire movie with very minimal tics- definitely nothing that would bother others around him. I don't know if this is just a coincidence in timing (maybe he is just having a natural waning period?), but I am praying that this is something that may help him control the tics long-term. **An interesting side note, my son's tics began last April after a fall on the tile floor at the beach condo. He landed on his forehead and immediately had a goose-egg. We took him to the ER a week later for a CT scan to see if it could have anything to do with the tics. The CT scan came back normal, so no help there. Recently, however, when I did a google search on chiropractor + tics, I read a report of a little boy that hit his head, began to have tics, and found relief from chiropractoric visits. I KNOW we are not "out of the woods" as my son still has some tics that I notice, however, I think this may have helped to alleviate the severity of tics that he has been experiencing for the past year. We are also planning on trying accupuncture and/or accupressure in the coming months, but I am nervous about how he will do given his young age. (By the way, I don't think the fall *caused* the tics. I think my son has always had a few minor tics in the past, and I think he will always struggle with them, but the past year has been so EXTREME and INTENSE; I am so thankful for even a minor break from them. I think the fall, the strep, his sensitivities to dairy, a poor diet, as well as his genetics just sent his little 4 yr old body into over-drive.) Anyway, I just wanted to let anyone who is considering visiting their chiropractor know that it seems to have given my son some relief. It may be temporary, I don't know, but the past week and a half have been wonderful! (Knocking on wood!!) tlk

Hi, My son has this as well. His lips and cheeks are constantly chapped, especially during the colder months, and we live in a southern state (thank God!) lol. My husband's neice does this as well, so I think it must be a tic. Someone at school recommended putting some of the diaper rash creams on it and it really did help. The Vaseline is ok, but this was much better. My son still licks his lips, but we now treat it with Boudreaux Butt Paste during the really bad chapping phases. (Took some bribing, but now he is fine with it). Although he still gets red around the lips and sometimes on the cheeks (I told my husband last night that our boy looks like The Joker from Batman, lol), the butt creams really keep it from getting as bad as it was around the holidays. I've also done the "middle of the night while they're sleeping" trick. Works every time. (By the way, I don't put the cream right on the lips, just on the skin around the lips and on his cheeks. It doesn't get in his mouth.) Good luck, tlk

Hi Jenny, I put my son on the Feingold Diet immediately after he began his tic explosion last spring. I was neurotic about trying to find something that would "fix" him overnight and Feingold sounded like a good place to start, especially since I had heard from my MIL that she had my dh on it as a child for hyperactivity. I tried to be as strict as possible with it for about 3 weeks (I was making myself crazy). My children are young (at that time, 3, 4.5 and 6); I don't know if that makes it easier or harder, but I found it difficult to get them to cooperate and my son's tics were not getting any better. (Later we found out that he had strep at the time of the tic explosion and treated him with antibiotics which helped a little bit.) Now we follow a more relaxed version of it- we avoid ALL colors, vanillin, BHT, and try to eat as whole and organic as possible. I have since had my son tested for food sensitivites and learned that he is very sensitive to dairy and casein so we are careful to avoid those as well. I cook alot more but still have a long way to go. My son's tics are still very present, but it is not near as bad as it was last spring/summer. The biggest improvement that we have noticed since removing dyes and artificials from his diet has been his temperment. He used to be very angry and quick to lash out. Now he is so pleasant to be around and is well-liked by his peers and teachers at school. Feingold's information is very interesting and I wish that every parent with a "difficult" child would read the book, "Why Can't My Child Behave?" It is worth it to give FG a try; their website/message board is full of great info for members (recipes, ideas for holiday treats, ideas for helping your child in school, etc.). It is not necessarily geared towards those with tics or TS, (more towards those with behavioral issues), but the info can be applied to tics as well. Good luck! tlk

Hi Kim and bmom, I have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and took heparin and/or lovenox while pregnant with my three children (also had 2 miscarriages). This is why I'm thinking my ds got the double whammy from both of us- my auto-immune disorder coupled with dh's "tics" that he had has a child (nothing that was ever diagnosed or that ever interfered with his daily life; he has just now realized that he might have had something similar to ds on a lesser scale when he was younger. I have never seen any sign of tics in the 10 years that we've been together.). Kim, does this mean anything?? You are so smart and I am so thankful to have you on "my team". Thanks, tlk

Well, shoot!, I can't figure out how to post a link to the article. I went to msnbc.com, clicked on "health" stories, and then found the link to the story. It basically says that the vaccine MAY be coming soon. Here is a quote from the end of the article. (Love the part about the huge market potential, lol). Vaccine market could be huge These vaccines protect against pneumonia, ear infections, and other diseases cause by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. A spokesman at Novartis said the company has a GAS vaccine in the pipeline but it is in very early stages of testing. The market potential is huge — Wyeth’s Prevnar shot has annual sales of $2 billion. tlk

This story was on the front page of our paper (AJC) in Atlanta; the family is from GA. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but have been thinking about it all day. As soon as I get these maniacs settled in bed I'm going to sit down and read it. Thanks for the heads up on Larry King. Off to record that now. I think this is so interesting and opens the door for MANY more lawsuits. On a different note, have you all seen this? strep vaccine I'm not sure how to post a link, but I found this on msnbc.com when I was looking for some info regarding recalled heparin. (I was on heparin and/or lovenox with all three of my pgs and my brother called me tonight to tell me that there is a story about heparin being linked to hundreds of "serious side effects" now. I am wondering if it may have played a part in my children's issues with tics and mild OCD.) The link that I am hopefully posting is about a vaccine for strep. tlk

Hi Kim! I desperately want to understand the articles in your post, but I can't! I have read them over and over and I might as well be reading Chinese. After you're done with your research, will you please interpret for me? To answer your question about my son, he really doesn't have any large moles, but he is freckled. He has fair skin, blue eyes and red hair (we were shocked when we saw that red hair! lol). He is only 5 1/2 and the freckles that now cover his cheeks and nose didn't start appearing until he was 3. Every year, he gets more of them and I can already see that some of them will get larger and turn into moles. He does get red splotches at times which I now think are linked to his diet. The cyst on his wrist literally appeared overnight right after he learned how to ride his 2-wheeler last summer. He has an unusually high tolerance for pain (can walk across pavement barefoot in the hot FL sun without flinching while all of the adults around him are running/hopping and yelling that their feet are burning), and I was SURE that he had broken his wrist the day before while riding (falling off) his bike and I just didn't notice. I was really freaking out but he assured me that it didn't hurt and he was able to bend his wrist in all directions. Good luck with your research! Please let me know what you discover. I am in awe of the articles that you post and interpret for the rest of us. You were the one sitting in the front of the class while I was moaning in the back about it being too early. Now I'm just too tired and have lost too many brain cells to Chardonnay to make sense of anything that I have to reread more than twice. tlk

Hi Faith, My son is now 5 1/2 and is still ticcing. The Benadryl relief was short-lived. He seemed to be doing better overall last fall but since the holidays, he has been ticcing alot, both motor and vocal. I did all of the testing with our Environmental Physician last Sept/Oct but didn't really put anything into practice since he was doing well at that time. He even had strep and seemed to be ok. (His tics started last spring overnight during a course of strep). As of Jan, he is on a dairy/casein free diet. (wish I was seeing more of an impact on the tics from this) His IgG results had dairy at 1,587 (severe) and casein at >2,000 (also severe). I have ordered his custom amino acid blend and will start that as soon as it arrives (this coming week?). He is taking coreomega, Brainchild Nutritionals, and I just started him on 250 mg of L-carnitine. I also gave him some Kid's Calm today. I also just received an email in response to my inquiry about Bonnie's supplements. I am going to give those a try since so many have had success here. We have cut out tv and computer time as of yesterday since he is so much worse in front of screen. My husband took the kids to Wal-Mart today and bought about 6 board games and lots of arts and crafts to keep us busy! Thank goodness we live in the south and the kids can play outside all year (most days). The no-screens is tough! Still considering taking him to FL to see Dr Murphy as I'm not sure about the PANDAS vs TS dx. Anyway, thank you for asking about us. I still spend SO much time reading posts here, some dated years ago, just trying to find more info and those missing pieces that may help my son. Despite the tics, we are all doing much better than last summer. Some of that is due acceptance on my part. I think my stress level has set the tone around our house for the past 10 months. If I can relax a little, we all will be much happier. I know this is a long journey and we are only just beginning. In a way, I feel blessed that it started early for us (CAN'T BELIEVE I just typed that, lol); if this had started when he was older, I think he would be a lot more resistant to dietary modifications, and I think it would be harder to deal with other kids. At this age, most of the kids don't make fun of him- they are very accepting. If they grow up with him knowing he tics, I hope that those pre-teen years will be a little easier. (Wishful thinking, lol.) I will keep you posted on our successes and setbacks with the amino acids and bontech. tlk

Thank you Chemar for this info. I guess I am so confused about everything... I had my son's blood levels tested several times this summer and by the end of the summer, his titers were normal. He was still ticcing very hard even though the strep had been treated with antibiotics. What kind of testing will Dr. Murphy do? Is there a test that will tell us whether or not my son had undiagnosed strep in his body for a long time before these tics started?? I guess I am just wondering what she will be able to do for us? We are more than willing to go see her, and I have been in touch with her office before, but I finally just let that go as I was moving towards an acceptance of the TS rather than still focusing on the PANDAS. I know I don't make any sense right now, I am just so confused. Thanks for any insight that you can provide. tlk

Thanks for your replies. I never thought that the spots could be a virus; I just assumed his skin was irritated from the salts. ?? How did you get the virus diagnosed and what did you do for it? My son seems healthy as a horse other than the tics, but I was sick a few weeks ago with a flu-like bug for several days. I guess I will keep my eye on the spots and take him in if they don't go away or if they get worse. Bmom, I have not totally ruled out PANDAS and am very interested in reading the info here from others dealing with it. Honestly, other than the overnight explosion and his really strange behavior last spring with the elevated strep titres, he hasn't shown any of the other classic symptoms. All three of my children were dx with strep last Nov and only one of them complained of a sore throat (not my son). I don't think his tics were any worse before or after the diagnosis and round of antibiotics. He has not shown any signs of OCD and has not had the frequent urination that some talk about. Also, now that we have been dealing with all of this, my husband has remembered some "habits" that he had as a child (8-10 yrs old) that would probably be labeled as tics today. His were not vocal and were not nearly as severe as my son's, but he had them nonetheless. He father is also a very twitchy person- shoulder rolling and shrugging, nose twitching, etc., so I guess you could say that tics run in my husband's family. If my son had tics similar to what my husband and father-in-law had/have, I would not have as much concern. My son has been moderate-severe (in my opinion) with the frequency of his tics for the past 10 months and I am so worried about the coming years as he is only 5 1/2 yrs old now. I guess I believe that the strep may have triggered the severity and intensity of the tics last spring, but I think my son has the genetics to tic anyway. I had all of the tests run last fall (hair, urine, stool, blood, saliva) and am trying to get his whole body balanced and well. I pray that we can find a way to keep his tics mild if we can't find a way to "make them go away". I just want my little boy to be healthy, happy, confident, and comfortable. I know we all want that for our children. Thank you for your input. I may call Dr. Murphy back and try to schedule that appt afterall. (Kind of let that go last fall when he seemed to be doing better.) tlk

Hi Kim, Sunshine, and bmom, I was reading through some older posts and came across this thread. I wanted to add that my son also has a small tumor/cyst on his wrist (a ganglion cyst I believe it is called) that just appeared (I noticed it approx 4-5 months after he exploded with tics nearly over night last spring.) My dr also assured me that "it's nothing to worry about" and I haven't thought twice about it since I saw this thread. I also wanted to add that I do give him epsom salt baths nearly every night but they don't seem to help. I have noticed that it dries his skin and makes it red. Just tonight, I noticed that he is developing small circular red spots (about the size of a dime or smaller) on his back and chest (maybe 3-4 on his back, 2-3 on his chest and one that looks like excema on his face/cheek). I don't know if the two are related, but either way, I don't believe the salts have helped him as he is still ticcing just as much and sometimes more (with louder vocals) at bedtime. FWIW, here is our quick history: my son began snorting last spring and within 2 days he was snorting non-stop, seemed very spacey, and looked like he had cerebral palsy as his whole body began arching and jerking. It was shocking and so scary. Like everyone else here, I didn't eat or sleep for days and learned from Google that my 4 yr old son probably had Tourette's Syndrome. After several drs visits, we learned that he had elevated strep titres even though his throat swab was negative. He did a course of amox and his tics slowed but never went away. He continued to tic all summer both vocal and motor to the point that we didn't do much outside of the house. At that point, his strep titres returned to normal and talk of PANDAS was replaced with TS that coincidentally began during strep. (My daughter also began some light vocal tics a few weeks after my son and she too had strep- it was making me crazy!) He has ticced ever since (we are now 10 months into this journey) and we are still trying to find his triggers. This past month, screens have definitely been a trigger for him, but there's something else that we haven't put our finger on. We did all kinds of testing last fall and learned that he tested extremely high for casein and milk (IgG). We've adjusted his diet accordingly (also tried Feingold and still do a modified version of this), and we are getting ready to start him on a customized amino acid blend. I am also going to try Bonnie's Supplements (not at the same time in case so I can judge any reactions). My son tics all day: head shakes, mouth-widening, slurping sounds, spitting, kissing, lip licking, abdominal flexing, hopping, vocal sounds such has humming, bird-like noises, tongue clicking, etc. He is a sweet little boy and does well in Kindergarten, but he is very active and wiggley. He has had restless legs at nights as well. He just seems so uncomfortable and unsettled all of the time. Although he tics all the time, the tics are not as obvious as the snorting was when he started all of this. Some people wouldn't even notice his tics and he does a good job of holding them in at school for the most part. Anyway, I'm sorry that I've rambled on and on. I just found it interesting that I am the 4th person to mention the benign tumor/cyst and wonder what the connection may be. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around some of the medical journals so if anyone can shed some light on this for a "mom" who speaks "kids language" these days, I would appreciate it! :-) Thank you to all of you for all of your posts. I know my answers are buried somewhere here at Latitudes; I will just keep digging until I find our solution! (That is why I'm up all night!) tlk

Airbucket, My son (5.5 yrs) also likes to feel pressure on his head. This seems to come and go as often as his tics, but last summer and fall it was pretty consistent. (Right now, he just has a lot of head shaking, but I haven't noticed the banging or need for pressure.) Several months ago, I often found him putting things like books or wooden puzzles against his forehead (banging motions), and he also rubbed his head along the floor while on his hands and knees which landed him in the hospital with staples in the top of his head since he didn't see the corner coming. Poor little guy. He was a head banger as a baby/toddler to the point where he'd often have tiny bruises on his forehead. His dr told me to put a helmet on him. Those were the days when I thought he might have autism, never expecting I'd be dealing with the tics that I am today. I am right there with you in regards to wondering if I will ever find what makes him tic. I think dairy and casein play a large role in some of it as he tested off the charts in his IgG testing, but even with that removed from his diet, he still tics nearly every day, sometimes all day. It is so frustrating. I am wondering if I just need to "let go" and accept that he is going to tic. I read so much here about the successes that people are having and feel that surely I can find out what makes my son tic as well. His triggers come and go and change just like the tics themselves. Lately, he cannot even be in the same room with a tv or computer screen without ticcing constantly. This has never been a problem before. I just don't understand this whole thing... it is such a bizarre "disorder" to try to accept (for me anyway). I think I am struggling with this because my son has both motor and vocal tics that are very noticeable. He is so young and I worry constantly about what his future will be like. One year ago, these worries had never crossed my mind. We had no idea that he was going to start ticcing one day and really never stop. Anyway, I'm sorry to go and on about my own worries, but I just wanted to let you know that I understand your thoughts about trying to find those triggers. I wonder if I ever will find them all? Thoughts and prayers to you and your kiddo. tlk

Hi, Do you know where he is located? I am still not even sure if my son has PANDAS (depends on which dr I talk to). I do know that his tics have increased this week and he is having a hard time writing his letters and numbers (wants to write them backwards). I have been sick with the flu all week and am wondering if the two are related. I have had him on a strict diet according to his IgG results and am disappointed by this recent surge in tics. I am starting to get so frustrated. I hope this passes soon as he is doing some testing for private school admissions in less than 2 weeks. Thank you, tlk

Carolyn N, I just want to thank you so so much for sharing all of the valuable information you've collected regarding MSG and how it affects our bodies. I have been reading and rereading all of your posts and links (still trying to get through that one very detailed and informative link you posted a while ago), and it all makes sense. I really think you have put together several pieces of the puzzle for me. I just wanted to thank you! I am sitting here with all of my Feingold info spread out (joined last spring after my son exploded with tics nearly overnight), all of the notes I've collected from your posts, my coupons and store sales inserts trying to make a menu and grocery list for this week. It is ALL so overwhelming, but I have to take it day by day for now. I know that I will get a system down and it will get easier. The hardest part is changing the eating habits of my family (7yrs, 5.5yrs and 4yrs old) as well as keeping other people from feeding them things at school and playdates. I hate that part of it! Although we have moved to a more organic diet this past year, I still have some work to do to, and the kids are not going to like it. I am having a hard time because my son tested off the charts on dairy and casein last fall in his IGg test. Trying to find foods that are dairy and casein free as well as MSG free is challenging to say the least. It will be worth it if it helps my son! I am going to get my hands on a copy of the Enzymes For Autism book and do my best to read it and UNDERSTAND it, lol. Anyway, I again wanted to thank you for taking so much time to share your info with the rest of us. Even if it doesn't help my son, it will help someone! I am praying that it is one of the pieces to our puzzle. I'll let you know how we do! :-) Thank you, tlk

Hi! How funny that you asked this. I was wondering the same thing yesterday as I am getting ready to start my son on the BrainChild Nutritionals per our Environmental Dr.'s suggestion. They are sitting on my counter, but I haven't started using them yet. I got online to check them out, and they seem to be a good product. I was ready to start them today, but my son tested positive for strep yesterday. Since we are still unsure of his PANDAS vs TS dx, I want to get him well again before I start anything new. I will probably start the Brain Child in 10 days when he is done with the amox. I'm interested to hear what others have to say. The office where I bought them said that they have a hard time keeping them in stock, they are very popular. tlk

I took my three children (ages 6.5, 5, and 3.5) to Target the night before Halloween and gave them each the option of keeping the candy they were going to get, or picking out anything they wanted ($10 each). They all chose the toy! They couldn't wait to get home from trick-or-treating and give up their candy for their new toy. I couldn't believe how smoothly the whole thing went. (I did let them each pick out 3 pieces of candy and made sure my ds didn't choose anything with red or colors.) I was dreading the entire "holiday", but the schools were really good about not giving out candy and my children ended up being very cooperative about the trade-in. It really wasn't bad at all. Now, if my dh would just get rid of the endless bag of candy that he promised he'd take to work! I keep dipping into it- ugh! tlk

Yes, I would LOVE to know where to purchase the at-home strep tests! Thanks, tlk

It is so interesting to me that they are doing environmental testing, yet when we mention these types of cause and effect relationships to our mainstream doctors regarding our children's tics, they dismiss us as if we're nuts. Thanks for posting this. I am interested in a follow-up if/when they find some answers. tlk

Hi Airbucket, I really feel for you and worry that I may in the same boat one of these days. My son is currently doing well in a private church-based K program but is scheduled to attend public K (summer b'day so I want him to repeat) next fall. We are in GA, so I don't have any advice regarding FL, but I do want to pass along a resource that may be of some help. I haven't called them yet (on my long list of things to try, but we are still in the biomedical testing stages), however, they have been recommended to me by several people. The website is http://www.parkaireconsultants.com/ Apparently, Sheryl Pruitt is an expert with TS and other behavioral and mood disorders. She has written several books that have received really good reviews: "Taming the Tiger" and "Teaching the Tiger" (this is a resource for teachers of TS students). I have not read either so I can't recommend them, but I do plan to read them eventually. I was told that they will observe the child and recommend the best learning environment for him/her. I know you are in FL, but it wouldn't hurt to contact them to see if they have some recommendations in your area. I worry about my son in a large public school next year and especially in the coming years when I expect his tics and mood swings to be worse. I plan on contacting Parkaire sometime in the coming months to get a recommendation for next year. I hope you're able to find the perfect school for your son. I'm sorry you are going through this right now. I'm sure it must be very stressful. Best wishes, tlk

Hi, I just recently asked my environmental dr about this as it is on my list of things to try. He said that absolutely it can be beneficial. He said that the first thing they learned in school was that if the core or spine, is out of line, everything in the body can be "off". You never know what or how it's going to affect the rest of the body. We haven't tried it for my son yet, but after listening to the dr, we will definitely give it a try. I don't think it will hurt or make anything worse if you go to an experienced, well-respected chiro. I would ask around before just making an appt with anyone. Best wishes, tlk

Hi LisaM, I am in the same boat, as I have a 5 yr old who began ticcing nearly overnight last spring. (He was then 4, like your daughter.) After I spent two weeks crying, not sleeping, not eating and watching his every move, it was discovered that he had strep (throat swab was -, but blood was +). The neurologist dx him with Sydenham's Chorea, but my pediatrician thought it was more like PANDAS. His tics got a little better, but never completely went away. Whenever they would get a little worse, I'd take him back in for blood work, just SURE that the strep was back. He was negative every time! That is why the second neuro said that he has TS, not PANDAS. On a side note, my 6 yr old dd started with vocal tics a couple of weeks after my son (I thought I was going to die); I took her in for a strep test and she was +! I am having a hard time getting the PANDAS dx since they both still tic but do not test positive for strep anymore. I do plan on getting in to see Dr. Murphy at Shands and have spoken on the phone with one of her research assistants. I think it can only help my children. For now, we just spent alot of money on an environmental dr who ran a series of tests on my ds (urine, blood, stool, hair and saliva). I am going to pick up the supplements tomorrow so we'll see how well he responds to those. I will give this a couple of months and then move on to another course of action. In the meantime, I plan on setting up an appt with Dr. Murphy so we can get on her waiting list. Best wishes to you. I am confused and frustrated as well. I never in a million years thought I would be dealing with something like this. tlk

My son is only 5, but rage and aggression has been an issue since he was a toddler. It was my first sign that something was different about him. I never felt comfortable leaving him alone with other children during play time b/c he had a very short fuse. When he started with the tics last spring we put him on the Feingold diet and saw such an improvement in his behavior. The tics didn't go away, but he became a much more pleasant, agreeable, and kinder child. We are not on FG 100% anymore, but we have pulled out all artificial colors, additives, flavors, etc. He has stayed on green light everyday at school since he started K this fall, something that has NEVER happened in his past 3 years of preschool. I am sure you have played around with your child's diet, so please don't think I'm suggesting that you haven't. I just wanted to respond to the post about aggression since that is something we have dealt with so much over the past 4 years with him. I will say that I am not looking forward to the upcoming school years as my son still does get easily frustrated and is quick to crumble up a paper rather than correct a mistake. He still has that short fuse and bad temper, it is just not something that we are dealing with every day (every hour) like we used to. I know I have a long road ahead of me, so if you find something that works for your child, please post so that I may take notes, lol. Best wishes, tlk

Hi Janey, I consulted with Dr. Beer via the internet when I was trying to conceive my first daughter. I used heparin and lovenox during all of my pgs due to an autoimmune blood clotting disorder. I wonder if our autoimmune disorders are similar? My 5 yr old son presented vocal and motor tics nearly overnight last spring during a strep infection. My 6.5 yr old daughter also has vocal and motor tics on a milder level and was dx with strep last spring as well when her tics spiked. We are still trying to figure out how to treat them both, and if this is TS, PANDAS, or what?! So much to learn... Just curious about your autoimmune issues and how/if you think it may have affected your children. Thanks, tlk