Internal tics?

[P_Mom]

Can kids have internal tics? My younger son has had this thing for years on and off where he will spit up a bit in his mouth and then spit it out. I took him to Children's Hospital years ago to see the gastro and he was stumped. Didn't find anything. He says it doesn't burn and his belly doesn't hurt or feel nauseated. He does it mostly, although not exclusively, when taking a bath. Again, it is intermittent. He did it tonight 3 times while in the tub (spit out in the toilet...just a little bit). It drives me crazy because I don't know why he does this. So, I drilled him a bit. He says he can feel it coming because his throat feels funny. He says that he felt it coming on when he was brushing his teeth but it went away and he didn't do it.

 

Could this be a tic of some sort? Reflux? Should I try some kind of otc antacid? I could try to see if it helps...if not....I would tend to think it is a tic?

[smartyjones]

p.mom -- is he actually spitting something up?

 

okay -- i know this sounds gross but your post made me think of it and it may help you -- so -- in college, one of my sister's friends, who was a known bs-er, discussed that she had this thing that small pieces of white would sometimes kind of propel from her throat. she'd been to the doctor and they termed it something like "ecdysis". so now, i looked that up and that word actually means molting like snakes and insects do. however, i kept searching and found info on tonsil stones that would actually be what she was talking about. does this son have tonsils? you may want to search tonsil stones and see if this is what you're talking about.

 

even if he doesn't have tonsils and you think that sounds like it, i think it can also be caused by sinus trouble.

Edited February 25, 2011 by smartyjones

[P_Mom]

Thanks for the suggestions. No, he does not have his tonsils and yes, he is actually spitting up a bit when he does this.......you know...like a tiny bit of his dinner was in there! Weird thing is it is mostly centered around bath time. He didn't do it today before his bath....just during. And, he didn't do it after his bath. (well, almost when he was brushing his teeth...but, he brushed his teeth right when he got out of the tub...and it didn't actually happen)..... it hasn't always been at bath time...but, I would say 90% (or more) of the time it is.

 

I'll look it up anyway...can't hurt. I'd really like to know what it is.

 

Okay, so it is not ecdysis...I'll keep looking.

 

 

Okay, so he took his bath not long after dinner. I found something where heat can cause vomiting/spitting up. I wonder now if it is the heat from the bath that is doing it? I'll have to experiment and give him a cooler bath before dinner. (he does like it pretty warm) Maybe it is not a tic afterall. (I hope not)

Edited February 25, 2011 by P.Mom

[kimballot]

You might want to check with the doctor on this one. It could be GE reflux, which would warrant an antacid, or it could be rumination, which is a voluntary regurgitation of small amounts of stomach contents. The Mayo clinic website talks about rumination

 

If it is rumination, I wonder if it could be related to OCD or tics... especially if you are seeing them with activities that have lots of tactile stimulation, like toothbrushing and bathing (I do not know of any studies that link rumination with OCD and I am not a rumination epert − I am just thinking out loud here)

 

Out of curiosity - does this son have sensory defensiveness when PANDAS kicks in?

[P_Mom]

Well, we did go to the gastro years ago and he didn't have an answer. He had a scan (name escapes me right now)...but the one where you drink the barium. It was normal. But, I was in there when he got the scan, and I was able to watch what was going on in his tummy on a screen. At one point, you could see the stuff just come shooting up his esophagus. Doc didn't mention it when I spoke wth him about results....just said it was normal and I could try antacids if I wanted.

 

I read about rumination...interesting. Some things fit...some don't. Doesn't seem like it because he is growing and gaining weight normally and it just happens here and there. BUT, it is something to think about. It says rumination will not respond to antacids. I think I will try the cool bath thing first, then antacids. If neither helps...then, I'll have to got the doc again, I guess. But, IF it is some kind of internal tic.....nothing will help except time. Can tics be internal?

 

Yes, he does get mild sensory defensiveness when PANDAS kicks in.(but we haven't had a major episode in almost 4 years) It was manly centered around large crowds in a small area. But, that can bother anyone, right? Not sure if it was true sensory stuff. No problems with clothing, noise, food, etc. The only other thing I can think of is he doesn't like kisses.......still doesn't. That can be normal, too, right? I could be mising some things. Can you have visual sensory stuff? If so....... how?