My 'no screens' results

[Chris]

Alright. So I decided to take on the 'no screens' test last monday. I recorded (almost) all the food I ate, and any times I was exposed to screens. I didn't notice any difference at all, until after 3 days or so, when my body tics started to cool down a bit. But NOT my eye tics.

 

Half way through day 4, my eye rolling tic came back. it's where I quickly roll my eye balls to the side of my eye, and then back again. (really fast, but probably looks really wierd!). It had dissapeared about a year ago, and only just came back. (I don't know if your tics move or not, but mine sometimes change positions). I am very frustrated, becuase this is one that is hard to hide. I can try to do it when I blink (as my eyes are shut) but it really tires out my eyes and I'd like it to stop. The other tics I don't care much about, because they are small, painless, and usually I can live each day without even thinking about my tics.

 

These results lead me to conclude that I have a very small sensitivity to light, or maybe not one at all. Unfortunately, during the week I was exposed to some screens for a very short period of time, as listed in the diary below:

 

NAME: Chris Hurn

Sex: Male

Age: 15

Type of tics: motor, currently no vocal. Mild tics.

Any other health issues: No

Diagnosed: No, and I don't want to be.

 

Monday

Breakfast: Cereal + orange juice (cereal had wheat and fruit)

Lunch: Pizza, fruit

Dinner: corn beef + veges

snacks: 2-3 biscuits, nachos

6 glasses of water throughout the day

 

Tuesday

Breakfast: cereal + orange juice

Lunch: Chicken + coke

dinner: burgers

8 glasses of water throughout the day

 

Wednesday

Breakfast: cereal + water

lunch: hot dog + energy drink (V, like redbull)

dinner: roast lamb

4-5 glasses of water throughout the day

was exposed to screen for 6-10 mins (computer). Grandad

came over to visit and needed a CD burned.

 

Thursday

Breakfast: cocoa pops

snacks: biscuits, chips (grain waves)

2 cans of energy drink

3 glasses of water today

dinner: fish + hot chips

jucie (frozen wildberry iceblock)

10 mins of TV exposure at school

 

Friday

Breakfast: Cereal + water

snacks:grainwaves, coke, lollies

lunch: chicken roll

dinner: spaghetti

juice

5 glasses of water

 

Saturday

Skipped breakfast

Lunch: hotdog and ham/pizza roll thing.

dinner: steak + veges

snacks: 2 x juicies, fruit

5 glasses of water

started multivitamins today (one a day ones)

 

Sunday

breakfast: nutra grain cereal

lunch: ham roll

dinner: burgers, chips

5 glasses of water

snacks: fruit, buscuits, chocolate

milkshake

 

That's pretty much it. I didn't do the full 7 days because I did not notice ANY difference in the eyes, since sadly the rolling tic came back. Is there anything else I can try? My body tics seemed to have gotten a little milder, but I really wish I could get rid of the eye rolling tic. It seems the no screens won't get rid of it. Usually I just wait for it to pass, which can take a while! I'm incredibly frustrated by this tic.

 

Thanks,

 

-Chris

[Claire]

Chris,

 

So I count 6 days on the no screens, Jan 30 pm to Feb 5 pm Sorry you are so frustrated, but don't you notice that you say your eye rolling tic came back on the very day(s) you had computer exposure again? Even 10 minutes would set off my son for a week, no exaggeration. Some people are more sensitive than others. Especially when you are off it for a bit--the reaction can be even more intense upon renewed exposure. The improvement in the body tics does send a message...I know how hard it must be to wait longer, but I wouldn't rule it out from what you described. Having said this, your self-discipline this week was impressive. Please now pay close attention reintroducing them to see by the end of the week how you are doing compared to today. E.g. count the frequency and note the type and intensity. That will help you gauge how big a factor this is.

 

My next recommendation would be to check out food sensitivities is the next big thing, but you need a doctor to test for which ones you are sensitive too. I recommend www.elisaact.com for a food sensitivity test. Milk, corn and wheat are very common. Also artificial colors/ingredients can be triggers.

 

I will let others chime in on supplements...

 

Claire

[marina]

Hi Chis

Firstly, how impressive to see a 15 year old doing such a great job in trying to help himself.

 

I have a 12 year old son(almost 13) who is on day 10 of the no screens test.

Until day 4 he really did not show any improvement at all, but he is now about 80% better, so I urge to to try and keep going a little longer.

 

Another thing I noticed independently from the screens for my son is that his tics get much worse with some takeaway foods.

I haven't quite worked out exactly what ingredients yet, but I know that a lunch of a McDonald chicken burger with fries and a chocolate thickshake affected him for the rest of the day, with a very prominent neck tic.

Now the problem is it could be one or a number of things in that meal that caused the reaction. eg: the preservative in the roll, chocolate, msg in the chicken mix or spice etc.

How baffeling that eating two packets of lollies another day caused nothing.

So while doing the no screens test, I've just stuck to a basic natural diet, so as not to confuse the results.

 

I agree with Claire that you should also look at food sensitivities.

 

As a first step, maybe no takeaway for a week or so to see if this helps and Carefully check the labels on biscuits, chips and bread to avoid any artifical flavours, and preservatives, msg etc.

I know one of the biggest food sensitivities in Australia is a preservative commonly used in bread.

I would also especially be wary of the energy drinks.

 

Good luck

 

Marina

[art]

Day 4 you started the day with cocoa pops instead of your regular cereal. Drank 1 extra energy drink, and less water.

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Hi Chris

 

Very impressive that you are so focussed and responsible at age 15. Congrats for that..

 

How about trying a "NO COKE week?". Coke is a big trigger for a lot of children.

 

Goodluck.

[Chemar]

Hi Chris

 

congratulations on working on this to help yourself!!!

 

Just a few things to note.......

caffeine (in coke) can trigger tics

 

nachos may have artificial colour and flavour

 

"energy" drinks sometimes have sucralose (splenda) or aspartame(nutrasweet) in them, and some (like Gatorade etc are loaded with artificial colour and other yuck stuff)

best off with water, Juicy Juice or other pure juices, and as long as you arent dairy sensitive, milk.

 

 

Two things that are reported to help with the eye tics.......B vitamins (if you get a B complex, dont get high potency as some react digestively to that.......I would personally recommend getting ROYAL JELLY (it is what queen bees make) as it is very high in B vitamins and other essential nutrients. NOW makes a relatively inexpensive one, tho the best on the market is BEE ALIVE (pricey tho)

 

Now, another supplement that many have found very helpful with eye tics is acetyl-L- carnitine (it is best in that specific form)

 

As with all supplements, it is trial and error as to whether you react well to it.

My son used to have major eye rolling tics (his first ever tic) and the acetyl L carnitine helped him very much when he first used it around 11yo. However, once the tic had gone, he found it wired him and so stopped using it. The eye tic has never returned.

 

I also really recommend that you start taking a good pure multivitamin/multimineral every day (if you dont already do so)...and if possible, a combination supplement that has about 1000mg calcium/500mg magnesium and 25-50mg zinc.

 

keep going Chris......eventually you will start finding the answers and see the good results!

[Chris]

Thanks all! The funny thing is, I watched a movie last night, and am back on screens, and at school today my tic-ing was much less than when I was off screens. Wierd?

 

I will do a test where I miss out on coke/energy drinks, and maybe stick to orange juice and water. However, I do also plan to try the no-screens test again soon.

 

I was much less frustrated today, it was a very good day! I will try and get some of that acetyl L carnitine & ROYAL JELLY stuff too. Thanks a lot for your help & encouragement everyone.

 

EDIT: My mum just told me she can get some of the bee alive stuff...I might go and get some of that, and see how it goes. I'm trying as hard as I can to remove this problem, I am a pretty social person, so the milder the tics become the better.

 

-Chris

[Claire]

Hi Chris,

 

I hope you keep doing a sort of diary--even if it is just posting here. For example what you ate that day, how your tics were on a level from 1 to 10. It will help us and you spot things. Over time your posts will be an inspiration to other teens not knowing what to do.

 

If you are doing supplements, I would make sure you also get the minimum daily amount of calcium and magnesium and zinc.

 

Claire

[Chris]

Another good day, eye tics were down A LOT from what they were a week ago! I will be keeping a diary/scale like you suggested claire. For my tics, 10 will be the worst they have EVER been (the eye ones were around 9-10 in the week I was off screens, like mentioned earlier)

 

Yesterday:

 

I skipped breakfast because I was going to be late for school, although had an orange juice. Lunch was a cheese roll, fruit, and water. Snacks were a biscuit, milshake. Dinner was schnitzel, vegetables. I had a multivitamin with this. Watched "Gladiator" last night on DVD. TICS: 6.5/10

 

today:

breakfast: nutra grain (with milk). Snacks: chips, popcorn (v. mall bag), fruit. Lunch: mince pie, chocolate slice. Havent had dinner yet (still too early here). Just thought I'd let you all know, things are going well! I plan to try some of the bee stuff this week too.

TICS:4-4.5/10. I went through most of the day forgetting about them, which helped me not to do them. I didn't even notice them at all in my rehersal for my high schools musical, after school today.

 

-Chris

[Chemar]

so glad you are seeing tics diminishing Chris!

 

keep doing whatever you find helps....not only are you reducing tics, but you will see an improvement in overall health too......and that is ALWAYS good!

[susan0101]

Chris,

 

My 9 year old son developed the same tic as you're describing a few months back. Although it definitely lessons the longer I keep him from screens, it doesn't go away entirely. I've also noticed that diet plays a role somehow. Stress definitely effects him. Do you notice it's worse when you're nervous or stressed over something?

[Chris]

Chris,

 

My 9 year old son developed the same tic as you're describing a few months back. Although it definitely lessons the longer I keep him from screens, it doesn't go away entirely. I've also noticed that diet plays a role somehow. Stress definitely effects him. Do you notice it's worse when you're nervous or stressed over something?

Sorry for the late reply:

 

Yeah, although for some reason the eye tic has almost dissapeared. Even when I'm on screens. It's almost like the effects from staying off screens for a week didn't kick in until a week later, when I was back on.

 

When I am tired tics are slightly worse also.

 

-Chris