mommyfor4

I totally know how you feel. Our seven yr old daughter started some vocal tics around Thanksgiving last year, we took her off dairy and they went away. Added it back voila!...there they were again. So off dairy since and tics are gone. Then the last month or so our three year old daugter has started with what sounds like a self soothing noise...hm,hm sort of thing. May just be that... as she only does it when relaxing or tired but my back is up and radar is at full. It sucks to constantly be watching the other kids and almost waiting for the bomb to drop! On the other hand, I keep reminding myself that at least if it is a tic disorder developing I am so much farther ahead this time and maybe I can minimize by taking precautionary steps...diet, multi etc. Seems to be working so far for our 7 yr. old...knock on wood! The three year old is soooo much more like her brother in every way that her noises actually trigger a bigger response in me. Holding my breath and hoping it is a passing three year old phase So I guess that's my long winded way of saying...I get where you're at and know that knot in your stomach and my thoughts are with you. Hang in there... Megan

Hey Nola, Without a doubt, the multi could cause increase if it is not a good, clean multi; no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives...not always easy to find. I am in Canada so I use the Progressive children's multi, but it seems it may be a bit hard to find in the U.S., Chris(Cj60) and Lisa (mythree)are using one by Kirkman they seem happy with. Maybe Chris can be of more assistance there, as well as the flax oil. I don't have my son on flax right now as he is doing pretty well with his multi, NC mag. and epsom baths. The supp. probiotics caused huge tic increase with our son. We give our son 1 tsp. at night of Nat. Calm but may add 1/2 tsp in the am when needed. I can't help either with the L-carnitine as it is harder to get here, requiring a prescription. I guess my best advice is be super diligent for artificials especially in a multi, it seems to be counterproductive for many of our kids. And just start slow adding more Natural Calm it will help you gauge a good amt. for your son. I really wish you strength and perseverance, Megan

Hi Nola, In our personal experiences both teeth and illness (especially fevers) can increase tics, in fact for us often an increase in tics is our first indicator that he IS getting sick...they also tend to stay for a few days post viral symptoms, I guess until the virus is out of his symptom completely?! If you are afraid of starting fish oil why not try flax oil first it seems to be less of a potential trigger for many on the site. Have you removed dairy yet? These tics sound similar to what our son was doing before we completely removed wheat and dairy. He still has some but not as intrusive as before the diet change. Just a thought.

We also saw an increase for a few weeks after going gluten free. Our son is not celiac, we didn't see the same physical symptoms but his tics were a give away for if he had a food that had contact with gluten. Hang in there, give it a few weeks. Watch for sensitivities to corn and/or soy as well, as many gluten free foods substitute these and they in themselves are potential triggers for some people. It feels really big at first but it does become part of your regular lifestyle. Best of luck. Megan

We also noticed an increase in our son when giving him D, he was taking "Ddrops liquid vitamin D3- 1000IU" which are gluten free,etc. Tried it out a few times and after each introduction saw an increase. Sticking with just his multi for now. Had the same reaction as adding Omega 3 fish oils. Interesting... Megan

Thanks Liz and welcome! Have you tried a good multi and the Natural Calm Magnesium, epsom baths have been really beneficial as well. We have also had good results with elimination diet and avoiding all artificials and chemicals in food and environment. With our son his self deprecating has passed but he does have anxiety type issues that rise when he is waxing so they obviously are linked. I wish you the best and look forward to getting to know you and your son's story better. Megan

I can't speak for your son but ours tic's decreased fairly quickly once off the probiotics and fish oil (within the week). Will your son eat salmon? As of now that is how we are getting the omega's into our son and and I cook with an omega rich oil ( mix of flax, grapeseed and extra virgin olive oil). I personally would try flax only because I am more familiar with it and it is easier to find but others might know more. I think it was BigAl who has a post regarding krill, maybe check that post? I do believe a good,clean multi very consistently was a huge help for us. Have you tried a food diary. Is there a certain food he has had alot over Christmas etc. that may be the culprit? Just to brainstorm: new candle in house, different toothpaste or laundry detergent? The reason I ask is just this week I realized I had bought a dish soap with hand conditioners in it (I always by natural) and sure enough once I removed the offending not natural soap one particular bothersome tic disappeared, reminding me why I went all natural in the first place! Does he have any swollen glands? Our son is prone to swollen nodes in his neck so we use castor oil to rub his neck at night and seems to be beneficial as it aids the lymphatic` system. Please keep me updated and good luck in the search. Megan

I second this...the consistency and pattern of the cough should let you know. Unlike a cold, at least for our son, his cough tic is always the same pattern, with no major coughing jags. This was our first experience with a tic and it took so long to realize it wasn't just allergies or a cold etc. but it never "felt" right if you know what I mean. Fingers crossed it's just a cold or transient tic but many coughing tics are connected to wheat and/or dairy, have you tried removing either of these yet? Best of luck Megan

Hi Nola, I know you were asking Patty but I wanted to pipe in. My son also was triggered by fish oil and probiotic supplements. He is fine with Kefir in small amts. as a substitute. For us we say a big increase in tics following the probiotic but they did wane once off them for a few days, the fish oil was not as extreme but did increase his throat clearing tic. Some have mentioned flax oil or krill oil as substitutes but I can not speak from my own experience as I have not added either into his diet as of now but will probably add flax at some point in the future. Was the increase possibly due to a virus? any signs of sickness? Our son increased over Christmas due to...well it was Christmas! but he also increases if fighting a virus. Have you started a good multi yet? We found it most beneficial. Best wishes Megan

Thanks so much. Will try them soon and let you know what the kids think of them. They sound really good!

I have considered salicylates but he is fine with lemon and lime, blueberries and some others high in salicylates. I continue to look, but with him it seems to be more individual, for example apples are a no-no but apple juice and sauce are fine. Wish sometimes it was more obvious...would make things easier for sure but we're getting there. Don't even strive for tic free anymore just keeping things minimal and more balanced, the rest we'll deal with as it comes. My husband grew mostly out of his tics so hopefully our ds will have the same, just so grateful that we can battle it even in the smallest ways. Look forward to hearing how your journey goes as well! Hoping for positive things... Megan

So things are starting to mellow some but there are some tics holding in. I am highly suspicious of the orange juice he had during Christmas break. Had been reintroduced over thetime off sort of without realizing it...started completely eliminating it a few days ago and will watch for results. Was always on my "not so sure" list. His sister had been showing transient tics over the past year, very minimal but with removal of dairy and all artificials and on the multi have not seen any in months. Hers were very infrequent and quiet but if you've seen a tic, you definately know a tic! Keeping an eye on her but hoping a clean diet and multi early will be more preventative. She is 7 and did naot have any similarities to him in any way. No early signs of sensitivities etc. so just hoping and praying that hers are simply that...transient. If not I guess at least we are already schooled on how to approach it. That's it for now...will keep you all in the loop. Have a good day everyone. Megan

Even Chinese food that's MSG free generally has soy sauce somewhere in it and soy sauce usually has wheat and artificials. I know when I make in at home we use rice or bean noodles and gluten free soy sauce because the sauces are killer for him and not all the noodles are wheat free. Our next undertaking is subs...he is desperate to make his own! Will try to make my own gluten free buns and use preservative free meats, may let a wheatfree salami in even though I am not keen on the nitrates, still wish I could find a really good dairy free cheese I can buy locally...so far no luck. Kevin...the chicken strips you make, what do you use again? would like to try them. Megan

Hi Leslie and welcome, Our ds is gluten free and the furthest we went with utensils is buying a second cheap toaster that is only his. Other than that we don't use the same knife etc. for buttering toast and a separate plate or cutting board for preparing sandwiches etc. For him this seems to be enough as long as the product we use to clean is natural. He was reactive to cleansers ie. dishwasher detergent, dish soap etc. I agree with everyone else try elimination first to be sure and if you see results then investing in separate utensils may be necessary but for us at least we saw results initially even without. The toaster etc. came as a final clean up. But seeing as we all eat the gluten free pastas etc. most pots and pans are pretty safe. I wish you the best...it can be overwhelming at first but soon just becomes part of your everyday routine. Baking gluten free from scratch took some getting used to but even that now is second nature. If you suspect foods, trust yourself! Even the best meaning doctors are not experts in all fields, and far too many people are seeing results that are undeniable! Best wishes... Megan

Lisa...good to hear from you! How are things on your end? We are seeing decreases already, let's hope they continue to minimal with routine and better food monitoring. His mild dyslexia seems to be positively effected as well with the multi etc. or maybe he is just learning to adapt to using his mind differently but all in all things are well! Take care and look forward to hearing your update at some point. Megan

Thanks Chris...there have been increases again the last few days but he did have some foods with traces of dairy and soy...big no no's for him. Waiting them out and hoping he will again decrease to minimal before back to school. Too many late nights, too many unknown triggers and a messed up routine and inconsistent times with multi and magnesium. He seems to need to take his multi very consistently breakfast and dinner and with all the craziness has not been as routine. Will need to be far more diligent again now that routine is reestablished. How are things with your son? Megan

The cold has passed and with it the increased tics, back to minimal tics and a better routine. Definately need to watch for soy as I think that was a big trigger over Christmas. Seems most foods that eliminate wheat and dairy substitute soy, but all in all it's getting easier to handle holiday foods and catch triggers along the way Extended family is trying hard as well and that makes it soooo much easier....Ahhhhhh, A Christmas miracle...they are really trying to understand and adapt family meals in favour of his restrictions...and seeing results...gets them somewhat excited too! That's it for now, hope everyone's well. Megan

Hi everyone...things continue to go pretty well although he did finally get a cold, still no chronic bronchial cough though!!!! Over the past week with this cold and excitement of Christmas plus the possibility of hidden food triggers when at family dinners, he has had an increase it his throat clearing tic and a few others to a lesser degree. We also have not been so diligent with his epsom baths and nightly Natural Calm. Hoping things will again decrease with his cold clearing up and return to a more regular routine. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Megan

Hi and Welcome! Epsom baths are three fold: they are relaxing, detoxifying and they contain Magnesium sulfate which is absorbed through the skin and seems to in my humble experience balance the body some... As far as talking to your son, if he is seven, he is probably far more aware of what is going on then he may have been talking to you about. He may not have the proper words but may feel the frustration of his body working against him. We found that talking with our son and allowing him to talk and explain in his own words how his tics feel and impact him was very cathartic for him. It gave him a safe haven to release his tics and he was given an opportunity to voice what was going on in his mind and body. Our son is now 9 but started with strong vocal tics around 5-6 yrs. Once we were sure this was ongoing we gave him the proper terminology and it gave him a way to explain it to others. If kids commented on his tics he could explain what they were, like them having hiccups, he can't control them. His seem to be very food sensitive so he also explains that food sensitivities can cause them, just like a child with a peanut allergy having body reactions only his are different. It seemed to impower him. Still not always easy but at least he has knowledge and words to defend and explain if he wishes to do so. For him with most kids the explanation is enough and they seem to accept it as only a small part of him...or they dont seem to notice at all anymore! It is scary in the beginning...a very helpless feeling for parents. There is hope though. Many of us have had at least some success decreasing tics with a clean diet, good multi, Natural Calm and for some probiotics and Omega 3's, Vitamin D. Take it slow and it won't be so overwhelming maybe start by removing artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners as well as preservatives and high fructose corn syrup etc. Then for example try eliminating either dairy or wheat for a few weeks. Even the supplements should be added singularly so you can better see positive or negative results. It is time intensive but as I said for many there has been exciting decreases and our kids feel better and healthier, plus dont we as parents feel better when we can DO ANYTHING?! I really do wish you the best and I empathize with your feeling of helplessness...keep faith Megan

Hi Nola, I know where you are at, we were there a few years back. There were times I needed to retreat to my bedroom to cry and then gather myself back up. Our ds tics are mainly vocal and I can say three years down the road we are gaining on them. It has been a constant journey and we are still on the look out for triggers but a clean diet, a great multi, lots of epsom baths and Natural Calm have been our biggest aids. For us wheat, dairy and soy were big players in his tics. He is also very sensitive to chemicals...all household cleaners, laundry soaps, dishwasher soaps, handsoaps needed to be natural or as close as possible. No perfumes, no scented candles etc. There is hope! I never in a million years believed we could lower his tics to where they are today but it did take time and vigilance. Christmas is full of triggers...candles, the foods, peoples perfumes, hairsprays etc. not to mention it is a time of gifting viruses back and forth. Hang in there...try to minimize the potential triggers you can control, keep the house well ventilated or use an air purifier for the ones you can't. For us it's about loads of pure water and evenings of epsom baths and expecting that there usually is a rise at this time from excitement, hidden triggers, and extra sugars. Best of luck and Merry Christmas (Happy holidays?).... Megan

Hi Kat, Seeing as I am in Canada... I get mine from our local health store and I did see on the Progressive site that they sell in stores across the U.S., maybe you can request it at your local health store, I know ours is pretty quick to order most things for us. On a quick search I could only find a Canadian site that sells it, it is www.aviva.com but it is more expensive than I pay even in Canadian funds! My best guess is to ask around and see if any local health stores carry it or would order it on a trial basis...We really have seen great results for our son. If you can't find it Lisa (mythree) and Chris (Cj60) have found one they like as well, I believe it is Kirkman Spectrum Powder? and Chris is in the U.S. so he may be able to give you more info as to where to buy if you are interested. I'm sure they will post their results once they see this. Hi guys ! Best luck Megan

I have been aware of our ds increased tics when reading for awhile but because we were focusing on triggers it was bumped down the list of concerns. At this stage he is doing so well on the whole that I was shocked again at the dramatic increase last night when he was reading to his sister! He reads quite well but needs to stop almost every sentence to tic before he can continue. He has maybe three vocals he needs to do before continuing. He finished her book and looked at me with frustration and said how much it bugs him whenever he has to read. Is there anything that has worked for others to control this trigger. It seems so tied to the left/right brain thing...he does have mild dyslexia as far as letter and number reversal and his spelling. He gets great grades as far as knowledge but struggles with communication on paper. Any suggestions would be great...I just don't know where to go from here as the reading/tics are obviously related. His teacher is not concerned at this point because of his knowledge base but I am not okay with his level of frustration created by the need to tic when reading. Anything at all? Megan

Thanks Chris, this is really exciting...it's the first winter that he is not regularly getting sick and we generally were seeing increases from Nov. to Feb. in his tics. The "apple tics" passed quickly, he is back to minimal again mostly throat clearing. They are worst when he is reading out loud...frustrating for him but he is so happy about where he is today!!!! Most people don't even recognize his tics anymore, what a Christmas present for him, fingers crossed that it continues to improve. Megan

Hey Kevin, so after your son's waxing on apples, we also eliminated all of them as I had suspected them for awhile. Yesterday he had his first apple in about a month and doesn't his cough and throat clearing tic re-emerge almost instantly! Definately convinced, but yet he does fine with blueberries and some other salicylate high foods?! Will continue to watch for others but thought you might appreciate the similarity. Megan

Things are still going really well, in fact he even swam ALOT this weekend when we were away and his tics did not increase with the exposure to chlorine! Yesterday though he had an organic apple, which he has not eaten in months, and the cough and throat clearing tic emerged almost immediately. He is now convinced that apples are a trigger as am I, but beyond that he is still doing amazing. Still has not picked up any of the colds etc. that have gone through the house...at times we are shocked at how "quiet" he has become seeing as his tics are all vocal and he had many, many at his worst! Megan