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C.P.,
I absolutely think you are on to something. Peglem's right -- it creates sensation in that area. My son doesn't have vocals, but he absolutely displays tics in the area where he is weakest. He had a slight little neck thing that started several hours before I noticed his swollen lymph nodes; he blinked in response to days at the beach/lake/theater before we started using polarized sunglasses for these activities; and a year ago, he cleared his throat several weeks beyond a cold. I so believe that a large part of tracing triggers is being attuned to your child's body and its stress-points.
As far as reducing his throat or nasal distress -- I would exhaust all of the natural possibilities before considering even a conservative foray into allergy meds, which have been know to cause tics. I would look into the xylitol products. My son's homeopathic pediatrician (one of the benefits of living in a major metropolitain city) put my little guy on Xylaclear nasal spray. I bought it over-the-counter at Whole Foods. The company makes a variety of other natural allergy products. I believe they have a gargle as well.
Do you have a good hepafilter system in his bedroom at night? I got one for about $120 six months ago. The replacement schedule for the filters is crazy. (I could put a kid through college with what they want me to spend.) But, I fudge a little by vacuuming them regularly. If you turn my filtration system off, you do not even have to open it to access the filters with a vacuum attachment. They say you "reboot" at night; so no matter what he is exposed to during the day, it will make a difference if you can keep his resting place sterile. My ped also told me to encase his mattress in an allergy bag ($20), and a pillow cover ($10).
If nothing else, I sleep better at night!
Hugs, CP
Tami
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Guy,
How are you?
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UPDATE: We survived the first day of kindergarten!
And, unless lying is a tic, the stress did not trigger any. When I picked him up, The Little Master announced that his teacher was mean; she beat him; she "stealed" his lunch; and he will not be going back. He later relented and said that if I give him a piece of gum, he will try it for another day -- just one though.
Tami
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Lenny,
Thank you! We start school tomorrow.
Tami
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Guy,
I found it very upsetting that he would "diagnose" you with OCD that way. But I think you actually got the last laugh -- you only did 12 pages; he went to medical school for how many years? He's way more obsessive than you
Did you get diagnosed with oppositional-defiant disorder when you disagreed with him?
Good luck, and let us know how you feel in the morning.
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Rossina,
When did school start? Could it be the stress of new teacher/class/kids?
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No one likes lima beans! Having said that, puree a cup and toss it into spag sauce. I do that with spinach all the time.
Tami
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Thanks, Pat.
I have been working on "glass half full," "positivity" because I am aware of the effect of "Mommy stress" on my son. I have a lot of baggage here though. My son had a tic explosion in late September of last year. It was three days after his DTaP shot, but my mind is playing tricks on me lately. Was it the shot, or the fact that the beginning of pre-K was so stressful? -- he had a hitter/kicker/biter in his class that was not efficiently dealt with for a month and a half. My mother passed away a year ago tomorrow and there was obviously that family stress.
Pat, if anyone on this board is my "voice of reason" it is you. I have even passed on one of your gems -- "strive for the overall well-being of the child" -- to others. (It's my personal mantra now). Thank you for the reality check! I have been spending my time on Kinder preparedness websites. Today, we picked out backpacks and lunchboxes. Tommorow, we are going to pack them and eat lunch and play at his new school. Thursday, there is a picnick there, and he will be able to meet his new teacher. And, there will be NO SHOTS this year (I signed a waiver; I live in California, so it was easy!)
Thank you,
Tami
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My son starts the big K in September. I'm having a lot of anxiety over it. I know that it is stressful for kids, and stress -- well, you know!
Has anyone not had an increase at the beginning of the school year? Any advice/encouragement for Mom here?
Thanks,
Tami
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Bonnie,
Whole Foods sells a goat mozzerella. "Cheese Boy" will not be able to tell the difference! If you don't have the time or desire to make the pizza, Whole Foods and (I think) Trader Joe's sell cheeseless pizza. You would then only have to shred the cheese on it, heat, and serve.
And, yes, it is expensive!
Tami
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Pat,
You mentioned a cough. Could a virus have triggered his immune system into overdrive? How has he responded to sickness over the last 10 months? Was he recently sick before this started again? It seems many of our kids tic more when their immunse systems are activated.
Tami
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Crazy (Love the name!),
I didn't even have time to finish reading this thread, but I will PM the Illinois member (Chicago area) to ask her for doctor referrals for you and check back later. I think she will suggest allergy testing first; so do I.
Tami
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rhet,
I remember lower leg pain when I was pre-pubertal. My mom said it was just "growing pains." That's what they used to call it. It passed. However, if you have a tic disorder and are subject to physical triggers, I can see where this might result in a tic. If I recall correctly, it was very short-lived, during a growth spurt. Out of curiosity, you might want to measure the boy!
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Phyl,
Please know how much we appreciate you. Coming back after your journey has ended, so to speak, to encourage, advise, and help others is just so helpful and encouraging.
Thank you,
Tami
Ps.
Cheri, I don't believe I have properly thanked you either! Thanks.
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Welcome San70,
My kid is photosensitive too. Search Claire's posts. She is the resident expert on light sensitivity. In the meantime, try getting him to wear sunglasses in the car.
I noticed that all the activities you described require his little body to quiet down to inactivity (sofa/carseat/chair/bed). If he is a hyperkinetic little guy, he might be ticcing off energy when he is required to stop moving. There's some doctor (phd) who actually thinks tics are productive in hyper kids because it allows them to remain seated and learn instead of getting up and running around -- a compensatory skill.
I'm not suggesting he's hyperactive in the clinical sense, just the normal 7-year-old boy way.
My son is five. He is not hyperactive, but when he has a tic, I see it at that "downshifting" time -- in our case it is bedtime story time. Six months ago, I would have sworn it was the sound of my voice that set him off, but in retrospect I'm sure it was the transition from chasing his sister around the dining room table and trying to snap her with a wet towel to "sit and listen." He would always tic for the first three minutes of the book.
Tami
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Hi,
I am a little concerned about the b6. I'd suggest half of that until someone who knows more than I do can advise you.
CHERI, help!
Tami
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Bonnie,
I find the eating and bedtime reading tics to be the most prominent/last to go away.
tami
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C.P.,
No time now, but briefly, it is my understanding that both excitatory (dopamine) and inhibitory (GABA) neurotransmitters are synthesized from glutamine. GABA in its allready synthesized form is an inhibitory neurochemical.
Tami
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Debbie,
No time to respond properly, but all are VERY high in oxalate. You can Google it, or look at Great Plains Labs' site. They have some info on it as they test for it. Basically, nuts and berries are big offenders (along with chocholate, wine, raisins and plums. (I think figs are in the plum family?) Maybe it is a much more specific allergy ... maybe just that family of fruits (plums, figs, raisins, grapes?)
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Trubiano,
Have you ever looked at the National allergen/pollen map? Since your other son has such regular onset and duration, you may be able to investigate the specific allergens in your region at that time. Knowing what it is MIGHT be of help in alleviating it. (Certain allergy meds may work better on certain exposures.) Also, I have heard people talk about "local honey." You would have to find a bee-keeper in your area to purchase it from (possibly a local health food store), but the theory is that the honey helps to desensitise your reaction to the local allergens, much like an allergy shot.
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Can his sibling listen to music on headphones (to drown out noise) or an ipod while he/she falls asleep? Or maybe one of the little sound machines that has choices like rain, white noise, rain forest, babbling brook . . . They even have a timer for 15/30/60 minutes.
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Tracey,
Don't give up hotdogs! Trader Joe's sells great ones -- "100% beef, no nitrates/no nitrites, no fillers, gluten free, no MSG, no added antibiotics or hormones, no artificial ingredients." They taste great and are very cheap.
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Gabby G,
My daughter (the kid without tics) had 6 fillings when she was six years old (she has deep crevices in her molars, and they are very prone to cavities). They, of course, required novocaine in both upper and lower, right and left. We went to a pediatric dentist. He filled them in two visits -- each visit requiring two shots. He said she would never even know she had a shot, and that I could stand in a place where she wouldn't see me, but I could hear and see everything going on. It is his experience that if the parent is right there, the child will not hold up as well. I thought he was crazy, but he was right, saw it myself! This guy was amazing. He had nurses in her face, showing her toys and puppets and talking to her, and he swooped in with a concealed needle (TWICE per visit) and she still doesn't know she had the four shots.
Pediatric dentists are a special breed. They are part comedian, part clown, part medical professional. We have seen his partner as well to have a chipped tooth bonded. She makes stegasaurus puppets with the surgical gloves and then lets them fly around the room. Are you seeing a ped dentist or regular? I think the ped is worth the extra money.
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Claire,
You should apply for a patent for that test
.Tami
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Stuffed up noses
in Tourette Syndrome and Tics
Posted
C.P.,
Peglem and I are talking about the same product (except she got the name right!) It is at my local Whole Foods. That company also makes gum. It is sold by the checkout and comes in the standard packs or in bulk in a large container. He won't feel like a lab rat if you give him the gum
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Maybe the dryness in his throat, from the stuffed nose causing mouth-breathing, is creating sensations there that he addresses with tics. My daughter (who does not have tics) cleared her throat for what must have been three straight hours one morning. My sanity was in serious danger until I realized what it was: I used a dehumidifier the night before to dry some water (because you-know-who "accidentally" brought the garden hose into the livingroom!), and the air was really, really dry. I forced a lot of fluids on her, and it was gone, never to return.
See what happens if you give him extra fluids, and I would try a humidifier in his room for a couple of nights to see if keeping his nasal passages and throat moist helps. The xylitol gum will kill bacteria and probably create more saliva too.
Tami