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Hi Linda, Your message box is full!! Thanks!

Bonnie, Thanks for your info. Do your son's tics wax and wane very quickly? It seems like as soon as I posted my first post, the tics stopped. He went a full week with constant head shaking (except when playing DS, watching TV or sleeping), to just about nothing when he woke up Saturday morning. It is now Sunday afternoon, and I probably noticed less than 20 head shakes. It started just as quick. This was his second episode where it flared up, lasted a week, the just stopped. I'm not sure if it might be PANDAS, as I am starting to read more about that. About a week before the first episode, he had a pretty severe rash behind both knees. He actually had to be taken out of a basketball game. This came a day after he was swimming in an indoor pool at a hotel. The second episode was after we noticed ringworm. I will be talking to the pediatrician tomorrow.... If anyone else can give me any info, I would appreciate it. Thanks DC's dad Well, we haven't had a truly tic free day in 2 1/2 years. Yes, they do wax and wane and I definitely see them wax when he has new teeth coming in or teeth falling out. Took me a while to make that connection, too! Sometimes they can get worse as the day wears on if it's allergies that are making them worse. Like these days, we're in high allergy season(we're in AZ) and I noticed his eye blinking is a bit more intense and more frequent and he's been complaining about watering eyes and drippy nose. I noticed the same thing with my allergies so I figured we're hitting that time of year around here since the orange trees are blooming and we had a LOT of rain this winter. Not sure about the rashes but an infection of any kind is usually something that may exacerbate tics in some kids. I've kept journal after journal over the years and I truly can't say whether we are dealing with PANDAs. I keep thinking I'll research it further but life gets in the way and I figure that his anxiety and moods are stable so why mess with it right now. And, then, when we're in the throes of crazy anxiety(like last fall) I fall apart and can't think straight and I forget that I should be asking about PANDAs, LOL! My husband's family has anxiety and depression issues and I have no hereditary mental issues on my side of the family so I keep thinking that some of the anxiety ds has comes from my dh's side of the gene tree. Good luck to you and keep asking questions!!

Hi Judith, you may want to post this on the PANDAs section of our board. I don't know much about it so I can't advise. The parents over there will have a ton of insight for you! Maybe Chemar can move this post??? Cheri, if you see this you may want to relocate this thread! thx!

Hi there, and welcome! My son is 11 and has a few tics that started after he had dental spacers put in, as well. He still has them in as I really think they are helping keeping things in alignment in his mouth although it's obvious that he'll need braces anyway. Not sure I'm going to do braces any time soon if I really thin the spacers contributed to his tics in any way. His eye teeth don't have enough space so we keep calling him fang now that they're coming down, LOL! Anyway, we find that magnesium supplementation and 50 mg of B6 seems to help calm him. Stress and allergies also seem to contribute to his tics, as well. My son plays competitive tennis and is very athletic, too. He has tics/habits that he works into his tennis game which most people don't notice ie. pulling on his shirt between points, flicking his fingers, and a shoulder shrug. He started the tics with eye blinking but we've seen quite a few since he started ticcing at age 9. Mostly, they've been minimal and don't seem to bother him too much. We have issues with anxiety and that seems to be our biggest challenge when it flares up, but for the most part he's a normal kid(is there really such a thing as normal anyway, haha?). I have always fed him a relatively clean diet and I try very hard to keep him from MSG and food dyes. High fructose corn syrup and nitrates don't seem to affect him so I do allow those on occasion. Keep perusing the board here, you're bound to learn more and if you need help with the school or the teachers I'm sure there's some great advice here, too! We homeschool so I don't have to deal with that aspect of a kid's life! Bonnie

Hey CP, which shots were they? I know that ds is due for a tetanus/pertussis and I have been debating getting this for him. I would think that tetanus is a pretty important vaccination. I know we have sworn off all flu or chicken pox vaccines for him for now. Heidi, welcome to the boards. I think the epsom salts would be a nice thing to try for a while or supplementation with magnesium. Even if they don't seem to help the tics, the magnesium is something that many of us lack in our systems these days as the food we eat doesn't supply as much magnesium as our bodies need. And, I would think that just re-assessing her diet would be a great place to start. Cutting out the junk, food colorings and additives, MSG, etc. I know that a few on here feel that MSG triggers tics and I know that Cheri's son is triggered by chlorine. My son is more triggered by allergies and stress(both good and bad). And, yes, stress is a huge factor in the frequency of tics for our kids! Some of us even think the cycle of the moon can exacerbate tics and OCD! I know, it's a lot to think about, LOL! Hang in there and arm yourself with as much information as you can. We truly do become our children's advocates and we're working hard here to help them through these challenges. Bonnie

My ds16 was on 7 days of Biaxin 500mg twice daily. This came immediately on the heels of a couple weeks of Azith and 16 days of Augmentin 1000mg XR twice daily. We had to abandon the Biaxin on 2/18. His stomach was a train wreck. Dr. T. promptly called in Biaxin XL at the same dose which is supposed to be easier on the gut buy my son, who has never refused medicine, absolutely refuses to take it. I can tell you that while we were taking it, we started to see good changes in all areas where he struggles by the 3rd day. I was so happy about that but his gut continued to deteriorate. One thing I can also share is that we did see a cough develop that really freaked my son out. It didn't happen after all doses, but it did happen after some and would last about an hour. You may not see that in the IgG positive kids, my son was positive for IgM & IgG. We've now had to drop back to plan B, treating with all naturals addressing myco p as well as gut & brain inflammation, immune support & sleep support. The 7 days of biaxin did help though and he is continuing to make slow progress using the all natural route. I'm hopeful as he improves he will consent to 10 more days on Biaxin XL. Our short time on the biaxin was the ONLY time we have ever seen a positive result come that fast. Hope that helps, Gat's mom May I ask what naturals you are using to treat instead of the Biaxin? I am currently on Biaxin for a sinus infection but have asked the doc to switch me to a Z-pack b/c of the stomach pains, diarrhea, and headaches I've been having. I am on day 4 and I just can do no more! I am taking heavy duty probiotics and a probiotic drink as well as trying to keep my diet simple ie; pasta, rice, sourdough bread, etc. By the way, I'm usually on the tics/tourettes side as my son has a tic disorder and I will possibly be looking into PANDAs if he has another episode like he had last fall. He had some bedwetting, sleep disturbances, and major anxiety. It's taken me until now to realize that we might have a mild case of PANDAs going on. What I can't understand is that he's so normal otherwise except for the tics. OK: how did I get off topic, LOL!???? Anyway, if you can provide me with info. for cleaning up an infection naturally, I'd love to hear about it! Thanks, Bonnie

Honestly, Mar, I don't know if the NAET worked. He was mostly treated for sensitivities to foods, food colorings, vaccinations, etc. Not to seasonal pollens or molds. Well, forget I asked about the allergy meds. He's sick again this month, caught it from me as I'm sick again this month too. Anyway, he's resting and now I'm pulling out all the homeopathic and naturopathic remedies I have on hand so I can stave off this infection for him, LOL!

No Patti, We've tried and quite frankly, I don't blame him b/c I have issues trying to use those things, too. I never seem to get the hang of it so it's hard for me to get him to do it as he sees me gag and struggle with it myself, LOL! We use the Simply Saline nasal spray for him and the quercetin spray. He has a prescription for Flonase but I haven't used it yet for him. Bonnie

I actually see ds tic no matter what he's doing and he's just the opposite of what I hear on here! He tics more when he's moving around and less when he's still. Go figure! Our big triggers are stress and excitement and allergies(we just haven't pinned down which ones they are!).

Ds is showing some symptoms of seasonal allergies that are starting earlier this year than last. I think it's b/c we've had a lot of rain and stuff is blooming early. I can give him benadryl at night but I need some suggestions for daytime use. I've never given him anything for allergies on a regular basis and we've done NEAT before and I may try it again this spring. I just need something in the interim. I'm going to go back to trying quercetin and some local honey to see if it helps eventually. Also, if anyone has any suggestions that are more of a natural path, I'd love suggestions. Our big problem is that his eye tics get really into gear as they react to the tearing up and the nose running, etc. and that gets to really bothering him. Otherwise, he's not been ticcing much which again tells me that his tics are definitely exacerbated by allergies.

Hey CSP, still praying here for him. Keep us updated on how things are going for him! Bonnie

Just saw this today! Will be praying, CSP! I have been so bogged down with other family stuff that I am so drained at night and I forget to come on here. Hope all goes well for him, I know he'll do great! Blessings, Bonnie

I think it really depends on the dose, though, as I've taken my son off of his supplement that has the Phenibut and we've had no problems. The company that makes it told me that it's a very very small dose. He's back on it now, but we've experimented with being on and off of it just so I could check for dependence problems. Both our naturopaths weren't concerned about this problem, either, but I like to cover my bases! As for GABA, my husband takes it daily and he says it takes the edge off of his anxiety and stress.

Yes, transient tics can be helped by diet and supplements. As for the vocal tics, you said that he had throat clearing. I have understood that to be a vocal tic as is humming, sounds in the throat, etc. My son hasn't had a true TS diagnosis but he does have OCD type anxiety, no ADHD though. His naturopath still doesn't think we have true TS, either. He said that I'd probably get a transient tics diagnosis from a neurologist too. Personally, I don't think the label of a diagnosis is important unless you're dealing with PANDAs and really need to start antibiotics or IVIG. For a tic to occur, something is going on neurologically so anything you can do to support the neuro. system would be the first line of defense. Whole foods, minimal to no processed foods and additives, etc. Magnesium supplementation, maybe some amino acids like taurine or glycine that calm the system too? I also think that ANYBODY would benefit from cutting out MSG, food colorings, HFCS, and highly processed foods no matter who they are. Our developed societies have gotten far away from eating whole foods as a staple in our diets. Just my 2cents! B

I was taking a vitamin D3 supplement and cod liver oil which also has vitamin D. I got my blood work back as I'm being tested for a few issues and my endocrinologist was concerned because my vitamin D levels were too high(I was way off the charts) and she suggested I cut back on my D supplementation b/c high levels of vitamin D can mess up your calcium levels and they must be in balance. So, I switched to a supplement that is a Cal Mag DK. I still haven't started back on the cod liver oil because I'm going to get re-tested next month. Just an FYI that although many in America have low Vitamin D levels, you can still cause a problem in your system if you get too much. B

I'm not sure, haven't spoken to her since Sunday night but she wasn't too confident that they were going anywhere any time soon! She did tell me that you guys wouldn't have school this week. Grif is feeling better today, the fever broke over night. He's still got a nasty cough but I'm using NAC to help thin out the mucus.

Thanks Pat! We're doing all that plus taking NAC for the congestion and using essential oils. He keeps proclaiming wellness by tomorrow b/c he's resting and drinking lots of fluids today! He'll probably start to feel better when the fever breaks and when some of the congestion lets up.

Well guys, we hardly ever get sick but ds and I are both sick. I started it with a cold last Wed and then G got it on Thursday. He's followed the typical cold symptoms; sore throat day 1, sniffling and sneezing with mild congestion for a few days, and now the miserable cough with more congestion. No green gunk, thank goodness but he feels miserable. We try to stay away from meds and I'm trying every natural/herbal healing remedy I've got. What have you all done for your kids when they get sick? Right now he's sitting in front of a small humidifier that I have tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil mixed in. I have a chest rub that I made with those same oils on him and he's drinking tea with apple cider vinegar and honey. As for me, I've got the crud stuck in my chest and can't bring it up but I feel fine otherwise. If I was to go out and try to run a mile, I'd probably croak but otherwise I'm doing well. Thankfully, dh is staying healthy! Hope everyone is doing well and I pray that all of you in the mid-atlantic are with power and digging out well and staying healthy! B

Yes, Iherb has great prices and I know that Chemar recommends them, as well. Although, sometimes I find better prices at vitacost.com. So, you may want to compare the 2. I order from Iherb more often but sometimes vitacost has a better deal on something and I may get a small order from them. We take a lot of supplements and I buy my toothpaste, soaps, sunscreens, etc from the web.

Cheri, what do you use to protect the teeth from decay? My son, unfortunately, has my teeth and they are rotted and I have crowns on almost all my molars, etc. He got a sealant done at the dentist a few months ago but I was uncertain about the safety of it. Does you son get dental cleanings done on a regular basis? I can't find a holistic dentist around here for the life of me! B

Aww, yeah, I'm cute!!! :lol: And modest too!

Faith, My son is always seeing other people who tic. When we were back in VA and we saw CSP and her family, we saw 2 other kids who had tics. One was riding in a car stopped at a light next to us and the other sat in front of us at a football game(CSP saw this boy ticcing too). Anyway, we also have met with Carolyn N and her son Daniel and my son knows about Daniel's tics, etc. My ds asked me after meeting CSP's son about his vocal tics, not in a rude way but in a way that was just natural curiosity. I think a lot of people(kids especially) are just curious and once you answer their questions, they let it go and move on to something else. And, speaking of people performing with tics. My mom was just out here visiting with her accordion group and one of the men in the orchestra has tics. He was an engineer for Exxon and was very successful(he's retired now). He only had his tics when he wasn't playing in the orchestra, like when his section was on a break he would tic while sitting there. I pointed him out to ds and he was like, "How cool, he does a really neat thing with his eyebrows." And, no, ds did not try to repeat it or make this tic his own. I think it's really good for our kids to know that they are not alone and that other people struggle with similar issues. I know it makes my kid feel better. Have you thought about finding someone in your area who has a child with tics? Maybe get the children together so your son can see that tics can be varied just like someone's personality can be different. I know your frustation, though. I've been coming here for 2 years now and I'm still trying to find all the triggers that make the tics worse. I do know for certain now that chocolate is a trigger! I had seen an increase in tics in December, but not the anxiety, and I had to look back on the month and I realized that he had an Advent calendar where you eat one chocolate piece a day. Once the chocolate ended, the tics started to clear up. Also, today I think I found that caramel color also aggravates tics b/c I let him have a root beer which I normally don't allow that was caffeine free. Well, he started some tics that I hadn't seen in a month and I was wondering why. I'm 'guessing' it's the caramel color b/c I already know that HFCS does not make his tics worse. And, yes, sometimes I'm just plain old worn out from playing detective, LOL!

Hi guys, I've been working with essential oils for the past few months. Doing research and investing slowly in them, etc. In part of my research I found an article that said that dust mites can be controlled with the use of wintergreen oil. So, all 3 of us have dust mite allergies and I've tried everything short of stripping the carpet out of our rooms so I will be trying the oil. My mom was just here visiting last week and while we were talking about the oils she told me that she uses wintergreen oil, too. She said she uses it in her beehives(they have 5 hives) to control mites! Who knew! Anyway, I'm also experimenting with vetiver oil for my son's attention issues so I'll let you know if it works. Since he can't take fish oil and other supplements for ADD without making his tics worse, I started researching the use of oils. Bonnie

Wanted to chime in and agree with Chemar. My son has tics(real tics) and 'habits' that I'm guessing are more OCD related. He plays competitive tennis and is always doing a new 'habit' and trying to incorporate it into his strokes. Drives me crazy! Anyway, he used to smell his racquet during matches and it totally threw off his forehand stroke so I asked him to think of a way to modify it. Well, guess what he started doing? He started grabbing his crotch. UGH! So, again I asked him to modify this grabbing motion and now he pulls on the side of his shirt between points. He also twiddles his fingers on his right hand before he has to serve and I've decided that I can live with both of those and that they don't interrupt his strokes so I leave it alone now. He's been able to completely stop vocal noises and other 'habits' by my just asking him to modify the behavior. I don't tell him to stop, I just ask him to change it to something less obvious, etc. It does work for us, too. As for tics, he can't stop those or change those. He does have a tic he does when he's playing a very stressful match or a national tournament where he does a head nod with a severe eye blink. I can't ask him to change those but I try to do relaxation breathing with him and hopefully this will become a modification he can use to relieve stress in the future.

OK, OK! I found it. You've got quite the class clown there, Faith, LOL! I read your further post, Faith, and I'm sorry that things are worse for you now. Has there been no waning to his tics? How has his anxiety been lately? We've been in a waning period for a while now after our fall from h*ll and I have to admit that I'm quite thankful for the breather. Not that the tics are gone completely but the frequency is less and the anxiety seems to be under control again. I have 2 friends who have used meds for their kids tics and one of them swears that prozac helped with anxiety and tics and the other swears by a low dose of clonidine. My one friend's son had such bad tics that he would run into a wall as a tic and broke his nose twice. He also had a jumping tic and he broke their sofa so they decided at age 12 to do meds. My other friend(the one who used the clonidine) says her son was making a sound like a cat coughing up a hairball at the time they decided to try meds. Her son said his throat would hurt so bad by the end of the day and she felt so bad for him. The meds have helped him tremendously. This child and her older son also have Asperger's and ADHD, so she has her hands full! Anyway, I'm not trying to encourage meds for you, just sharing a few positive experiences. I also know those friends weren't patient enough to try a more holistic approach with their children. I'll be praying for you and for the decisions you have to make, whatever road you choose! Bonnie