Do growth spurts bring on tics?

[Schnauzer]

My 6 year old gets tics on and off, right now it's a blinking tic. They do seem to coincide with begining of Spring and Fall. He had been 6 months without any, and he's a picky eater so his diet doesn't vary so it can't be the food. His sitter mentioned this morning that she thinks it coincides with growth spurts. Has any noticed this in their children? He does have a genetic predisposition for TS, my brother has it.

[tstryker]

Hi, I use to think that it might be growth spurts too, but since my son seems to trigger in spring and fall, I believe it has to do with a reaction to something he is inhaling. Although my sons tics are minimal now that he has the oral appliances (thank God), they seem to act up in spring and fall along with his OCD and ADHD. I am hoping you get responses because it might help me figure out what to start looking for. I had the allergy blood tests ran and he came up negative for everything airborne. I am wondering if it is a histamine issue?????

[Chemar]

I am not sure if there is any documented research on this but it would not surprise me if there was a correlation. We have previous anecdotal reports of it here too.

 

There are also many posts here about histamine and tics if you do a search.

[mar]

I just have to mention that this is exactly what I noticed jn my son when he was younger. I beleive I first noticed an eye tic when he was three in the fall. It lasted a couple of weeks and then as he got older I swear is was always in the fall and spring. It would always be oct/ nov and then April. I definately beleive there is a connection with allergies with him. It just keep getting worst and at eight he had all outdoor allergies and then some when we finally got him tested. I would say keep an eye on it bc it got worst and a started seeing a pattern every year. I don't want to worry you but definately keep an eye on it. He started limited a lot of foods and his allergies got better.

Mar

[mar]

Sorry for the double post but I just want you to know that we also have tics in the family (DH) . And I regret that I let it slide with my son. He had a lot of allergies at eight. So j started tested dd at an early age bc j was scared. Nothing came back on skin prinks but took her to somewhere else and milk and gluten and sugar were taken out. She does not tic like son did but I wonder if this helped her. They are completely opposite in attitude and things but bc of ds I was able to catch her issues and help her a lot earlier.

Mar

[tstryker]

Hi Mar, thanks for the input. I am waiting on test results that will hopefully point me in the right direction. I am nervous though, because when I had my ds blood tested for environmental allergies, they ALL came back negative. But like clockwork, he always triggers in fall and spring. Maybe he is allergic to something in particular thats locally in my area that he wasn't tested for??? It just has to be realted to something seasonal because I can always count on his best months being Jan-Mar, when everything is dormant (I live in Southern California).

[mar]

This could all be coinsidential but just want to get it out there. Every child is different. My ds got skin prinks at eight at that's where we found out about all outdoor allergies. He was miserable at the time with constant congestion sneezing bags under eyes and assumed sinus infections with meds bc ped didn't know why he was always congested. Then allergist informed me he is/ cound get asthma. It was a lot to take in. His tics were coming out at this time more then what i have seen in past. Then got tested for food sensitivities and 28 things came back and skin bricks came bad positive for several of those items. My point is get them tested! I would never in my wildest dreams think this would come up. I always though never that foods could be causing an issue along with everything else. The crazy thing is is that the foods he always ate and loved were causing him issues. Eggs, cheese, milk and so on were his intake and to think this could be a culprit shocked me. One thing I have read about many of times is that foods you crave could be foods you are sensitive food. I could be talking out of my a** but I got so sick of ped telling me that my daughter has leg pains bc of growth spurts. During ds issues I really started to get interested why ds would wake up screaming in the middle of the night with leg pains. She would also get more and more with the having to use the toilet half way thru dinner. This was at 3-4 yrs of age and with the leg pains that would come and go but when they came she was in a lot of pain not sleeping through half the night. She would have episodes at age two that were scary bc I was like why is she in so much pain. they would always check her stomach and legs and say growing pains. When she got older like 5 I think they starting spilling over to the daytime. My legs hurt and she wouldn't want to ride bike. This is one thing j want to point out is one will say its lazyness. We would walk to park bug then j had to carry her and scooter back bc of legs hurt and are tired. She would have a week of at night but then be ok for months. That's why ped assumed growing spurts. I got her tested bc of ds. She has issues with gluten and milk. Going gluten and milk free for her was a wake up call!! Within the first week she ate her dinner with no bathroom visits. This alone was pure amazing. I always though she did this to get away from eating. All the my dinner is cold now and the reheating and feeding her. She actually sat there and ate. Even ds noticed and commented on how dd is not in the washroom. There was no leg pain after that. She stopped waking up with leg pain or growing spurts as every one assumed. Sometimes you have to be your own advocate. I would of never figured this out without learning about ds issues. Silently I feel like he helped ! I feel in my experience that growth spurts do not cause tics. Dd is in line to get expanders and I worry! I guess what I'm am trying to point out that you can't assume what one person tells you and you never know if their current food intake is fine bc that is what they always eat. Also I hope I am wrong in your cases but this site is the right place to start. This site and these parents have taught me so much!!! This site has guided me through everything. I have learned so much. I give all my credit to all these parents!!

Mar

[tstryker]

Hi Mar, thanks so much for the advice. I did have my son food allergy tested, but it was about 4 years ago and maybe I need to retest. I did however take my son off all dairy about two months ago, and also at the same time started the Feingold diet. It helped alot with his ADHD like symptoms.