6 year old son having eye tics for one week

[KGeorge]

Hello,

 

I have a son who is almost seven years old and he started have eye tics with a slight head tilt backwards last week. I took him to the doctor and the doctor said that it could be transitory and to bring him back in 6 months if he is still having tics. (Sooner if he starts vocalizing with tics.) The doctor has a 30 year old son with tourettes but I just don't know how much the doctor knows about nutrition. I have been reading WAY TOO much and am very confused. I have a hard time just waiting. I went through IBS problems about 10 years ago and ended up diagnosing myself as having a gluten intolerance (and I've been doing great ever since). It was a very difficult time (doctors do not know a lot about nutrition) and now I am terrified of going through ###### with my son. Do I just wait the six months and see? Should I stop ALL video games and TV? Shoould I stop taking him swiming to the condominium's pool (Chlorine)? Should I push to start having tests done now? Or should I stop obsessing?

 

My son will also push his tongue on the side of check and in front of his bottom teeth. Is this related? When I ask him now about his tics he says that he can wait longer until he blinks.

 

Please help.

 

KGeorge

[Chemar]

Hi KGeorge

and welcome to Latitudes

 

first off, i want to share some valuable advice with you that most of us have had to learn the hard way

 

Stop, deep breath,relax! Your child is having tics. Yes, it is understandably worrying you, but no, it isnt life threatening, and there are ways to help with it

 

Honestly, the best way to approach all this is to de-stress and take it a step at a time...otherwise you will be a nervous wreck and the fall out will likely make your child tic more!

 

There are MANY reasons why a young child may be exhibiting tics...ranging from what are known as transient pediatric tics, which frequently appear and disappear on their own...to tics that have some underlying chemical,nutritional,infectious etc or ther cause.......all the way thru full blown Tourette Syndrome

 

Your doctor is right to hold off on a diagnosis for now.

 

However, you certainly can begin to gradually look at the things that may be triggering your child's tics to see if you can help to eliminate or at least reduce these.

 

The important thing here is for your child not to sense that you are stressed about this, or for the child to feel that they are being "punished" for the tics...which I believe would result if you suddenly start banning TV/video games or swimming etc outright

rather you can test these potential triggers by carefully observing your child before, during and after to see if the tics increase

You can do the same with foods etc

 

In this way you can start keeping a record of potential triggers, and maybe find inventive ways to replace those things (board games and other activities for a week say and see if the tics reduce without the TV, or, as one mom did, the Tv may be "broken" for a week or two)

 

I would certainly say that eliminating artificial foods from your child's diet is a good thing to do anyway!

And beginning a good supplement program with a B rich multivitamin/mineral minus artificial colors etc along with an essential fatty acid combo (Omega 3 and 6) is always a good idea.

 

read Sheila's article on tic triggers and start keeping records

http://www.latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm

 

and also read the other articles on the TS/Tics section of the website

http://www.latitudes.org/tics_tourettes.htm

 

It cant hurt to also check things like possible strep, candida, pyroluria, heavy metals....just so you can beging eliminating them if necessary, and keep a careful record of reactions to foods and if necessary, have allergy tests run

 

most important, stay in touch here to get support and ask as many questions as you need too, nomatter how trivial they may seem

that is how you will gain knowledge and begin the path to helping your child should these tics persist

 

Hope that starts you on the road to discovery.........and dont forget...deep breath, relax, one day at a time

[azhorsegal]

Hi KGoerge, I myself am new to all this. My daughter started showing signs of tics two years ago with eye rolling, but it would go away for months at a time, so we didn't really worry to much about it. Starting this past May she started showing the head tics and now it's pretty much in every muscle group in her body. She has been diagnosed by a Neurologist with having a Motor Tic Disorder, but to early to say if it's Tourette's. Chemar is right, take a deep breath. I know for me it's been an up and down roller coaster and in reading Chemar's message to you just now, I'm reminded I need to slow it down, not get all worked up, and just take it one day at a time. And realize I still have my daugther, and I should not let all these tests and food changes effect her being a kid. After all, I think I'm having a harder time with it than my daughter is. Even though her tics can be very active at times, she doesn't let it get in her way, she's such a trooper. I can't give any better advice than Chemar gave, but to just say welcome, and you are not alone. This sight is great, because you can "vent" and talk to someone who will actually listen, unlike some doctors (at least in my case). God bless and I will pray for your family and your son. (Oh, I would highly recomend getting Sheila's book "Breakthrough Discoveries in Natural Treatments - Tics and Tourette's".)

[KGeorge]

Thank you so much for both of your replies! I will definitely start with Omega 3 supplementation and will look for a good multi for my son. I will also look for the book mentioned. I also think that keeping a log is great idea. (I think that the greatest gift is having an outlet to vent and to get recommendations from others going through similar things!)

 

I really can't thank both of you enough. It is really hard for me to slow down and I really need to.

 

I will continue reading and I'm sure that I will have many questions.

 

KGeorge

[Brit]

Hello,

 

I have a son who is almost seven years old and he started have eye tics with a slight head tilt backwards last week. I took him to the doctor and the doctor said that it could be transitory and to bring him back in 6 months if he is still having tics. (Sooner if he starts vocalizing with tics.) The doctor has a 30 year old son with tourettes but I just don't know how much the doctor knows about nutrition. I have been reading WAY TOO much and am very confused. I have a hard time just waiting. I went through IBS problems about 10 years ago and ended up diagnosing myself as having a gluten intolerance (and I've been doing great ever since). It was a very difficult time (doctors do not know a lot about nutrition) and now I am terrified of going through ###### with my son. Do I just wait the six months and see? Should I stop ALL video games and TV? Shoould I stop taking him swiming to the condominium's pool (Chlorine)? Should I push to start having tests done now? Or should I stop obsessing?

 

My son will also push his tongue on the side of check and in front of his bottom teeth. Is this related? When I ask him now about his tics he says that he can wait longer until he blinks.

 

Please help.

 

KGeorge

[Brit]

Hi,

My name is britney an i am almost 17 and i also have tourettes. I was diagnosed with adhd and ocd at age 6. During that time my tics were not an issue. It is what they call waxing and weaning. I did have very small ones which were clearing my throat and sniffing. At age 13 I started with extreme motor tics. At this time I sometimes had 4 different tics at the same time. (eye rolling, blinking,sholder twitching, and pushing my head foward.)Stress and anxity does bring them on more and being that i would get so stressed over my tics as hard asi would try the more constant it was.I developed severe deppression and anxiety. A lot of it was due to the fact that my junior high school years was a living nightmare because they were so noticable I got called very nasty names. Needless to say this did nothing for my self esteem which i already had little of. I am not a doctor but have been dealing with this for almost 5 years on a constant level. Although there are many meds that can help control it. The problem that i deal with is that because I have more then one issue when one med helps for one thing it tends to worsen something else. At one time they were minimal and not so noticable. Since april my tics have worsened and become more constant. Your story caught my attention because I know what it is like and personaly when my tics have come out one of them is always the eye rolling. My mother has been where you are. Always reading up on those things. Try and keep your eye on it and be awar to see if you notice any new tics. In your letter you mentioned taking away video games ect. If this is motor tics/tourettes belive me it is something that he can not controle. Best of luck to you.

Britney