Peggy

I also want to thank Cheri and all of you who share the encouragement that God gives us. I know I would feel hopeless without His presence and I believe that He led me to find this site. Thank you for the devotion you shared and for the time and energy you invest in helping others. Peggy (pretty new to the site with a 9 yr old son with TS)

thank you all for your responses. I appreciate the advice to take it a step at a time and not to change too much at once. I am going to focus on the artificial coloring and sweeteners and the things I know are triggers and I'll keep up with the food diary. My son has been very open to trying new things and not eating what he is used to eating. He just asks "Is it good for me?" I find myself saying I'm not really sure, I'm just trying to figure it out! Jeff, do you and your girls take supplements or just focus on eliminating the additives? Like I was encouraged to do, I am reading, reading, reading! Thanks again, Peggy

I thank you all for your responses. It is so encouraging to hear from people who share in this experience. I guess I will go and research what an environmental doctor is. I will also keep reading on this site. Thank you for the tip on the "essential threads". I will start there. I am keeping a food journal which has been very enlightening. The reason I removed vinegar is that I have read quite a bit about the candida diet. My son loves pickles, olives, and aged cheeses and I wondered if they could be a trigger for him. After just 5 or 6 days of diet change, the results were amazing. But like I said, his tics are back and now I am just trying to see which foods really do make a difference. Joshua's tics are mainly facial, and he also sniffs and coughs. He shakes his head, his eyes roll back in his head, he opens his mouth very wide, and occasionally talks in a strange voice. I'm gonna get to my reading! Thank you again for being here, Peggy

My husband has TS and we have known that my oldest son (now 9) had it since he was 3. His tics until now have been mostly mild. I feel so blessed because he has not had any accompanying conditions or learning problems. But for the past year his tics have not let up and at times he has up to 4 different ones at one time. His tics make him tired and are starting to get much more attention from the people around him. SO, I have spent hours and hours on the internet and in the library trying to figure out what steps to take for him. This website seems like it has so much information but I am overwhelmed by all that I don't know or understand. So for now I have a couple of questions for anyone who has a little bit of time. I would like to find a doctor to work with. What kind of doctors do most of you see? I tried the resource on this website but it didn't give me too many options. The one doctor listed in my area has no experience with Tourette or tics. I am now talking to a couple of naturopathic doctors who do have some experience with Tourette. Any suggestions on questions to ask or how to decide on a doctor? I have started making changes in Joshua's diet. I have removed most dairy, eggs, vinegar and peanuts. I have reduced wheat and sugar. He actually had 5 TIC FREE days a couple of weeks ago. It was beautiful. His tics are back but I am convinced that diet and supplements are key. But again, I am overwhelmed with where to start. I have read about Bonnie's products but I don't really understand them. Any suggestions of a resource for gaining knowledge and understanding on supplements and vitamins? My husband is a wonderful and gifted man. His experience with TS is part of who he is. If given the choice, he wouldn't take it away from his life because of what he has learned through it. I know this in my head but I am broken-hearted as I watch my son struggle. Thanks for being here, Peggy