It appears my other child has tics too! I'm freaked out!

[crazy]

I have not been active on this forum since about 2010. My 13year old has had tics since he was 7. We did end up using topamax with great success. He also takes magnesium, p-5-p, multi vit, and sometimes l-carnitine. He usually has 2 flare ups a year. It's happening right now. My 10 year old has started with tics. He is doing a head jerk/shake thing and also a jaw thrust. At first I thought he was showing signs of allergies because he said his tongue would burn and itch. I don't know how to deal with this. I sometimes feel it is my fault because I must have passed on this gene (I have never had tics). I feel guilt! My son wants to go to the doctor to fix his new allergy (that what he calls it). I'm tired of people staring or asking questions. ,My kids are wonderful and deserve a life that is kind to them. My older son began with tics for the first time during the spring also. The first thing I'm going to do is take him to an environmental allergist. I've begun magnesium. As of today, no more video games and computers because it seems to agitate his neck. He is taking a magnesium bath right now.

I'm sorry this is so long and I need to vent. I have read on several occasions that tics lesson beginning around 13. Does anyone have any input or advice? I could use some good news.

[Chemar]

Hi

glad your older son is doing better. If the twice yearly flare is seasonal, it may well be an environmental allergy trigger. I am assuming the kids have not had or been exposed to strep or other infections prior to the tic flares?

 

Tics usually begin to lessen around 18 not 13...at least that is my experience and knowledge? but there may be more recent data out that I am not aware of?

 

Do remember that a child can see the removal of the games and computer as punishment and you don't want him feeling punished because he tics! Screens and games that have reduced flicker seem to reduce or eliminate the triggering, and using a daylight lamp in the room makes a BIG difference too.

 

It is good you are seeing an environmental physician soon.

[crazy]

My son woke up in tears because he can't use his ipod for games. He said he feels punished, I feel horrible. I feel his neck tic is so bad because he is always hunched over some game/computer. It started as a sore neck needing to use a heating pad to a tic. I am just trying to help him, I was thinking if he relaxes his neck he won't tic as much. I'm thinking I need to just really limit his time.

I made an appointment with his pediatrician for next Tuesday. She also practices homeopathy. My other son saw only mild improvement using it. A friend of mine has a child with TS, and he uses homeopathy from same doctor with great success.

My oldest son said to me today that he doesn't want to be known as the tic family. My stomach hurts and I just want to cry. That doesn't make me very productive at work. I would love any words of encouragement. I feel so alone, my husband is not very supportive. He loves the kids dearly but tries to avoid all the negative stuff.

[Chemar]

Hi

I never restricted my son playing his games as I knew that they actually relaxed him, and that was a lot better than the stress for his tics, or for him to feel punished for ticcing!!!..what we did agree on was to try avoid the very "explosive" type ones that had a lot of flash and flicker. The use of those daylight simulating light bulbs really is a big help in reducing the flicker effect.

 

Morton has a new magnesium sulfate lotion (Epsom Salts Lotion) that is great for rubbing into the area where tics may be causing aches etc...so rubbing a little in around the neck area may be very helpful in both soothing the area but also calming the tics there! I found it next to the Epsom Salts near the pharmacy section at WalMart. It has some other ingredients in the lotion, but it can still be of great benefit especially in times of waxing.

 

Please remember that tics are not terminal! The more you try to relax and not let the kids feel stressed about them, the easier it is on all of them. People with tics still live full and happy lives

Yes, of course you should do all you can to try to help keep the tics as non interfering in their lives as possible....but not to the point where they feel their tics are causing you stress and so psychologically they feel "bad" because they tic....that is totally counter-productive in helping them. I know it is a difficult balance to maintain, but from experience I also know it is *essential* for the wellbeing of the children, yourself, you husband...indeed for your family.

[crazy]

Thank you Chemar,

 

I try my best to give my children a good life. I get upset when they are "suffering". I appreciate support from others, it's hard to talk to my own friends because they really don't understand. I think I will reduce screen time, not take it away. Have you ever heard of the impact ipod apps have on kids with tics?

Also what is a good amount of magnesium to give to a 73 lbs. 10 year old? I started with 80 mg. of natural calm and that gives him a loose stool.

[Chemar]

Daily dose of 300 mg of magnesium is generally recommended for kids with tics who are under 12 and 500 mg for older, or heavier kids.

 

I am not sure what that equates to with Natural Calm, as we would use that more as an evening relaxant and had one teaspoon in a cup of warm water. I don't have a canister here at work to check the dose equivalent

 

I don't think apps per se have an impact on tics...it is generally the flicker effect from the screen as well as the sound frequency for some. Try getting a daylight bulb and have him only use his ipod when the light is on, preferably shining over his left shoulder, and see if that helps.

[blakes_mom]

First off I understand how stressful it can be when your children have health issues. My son also had a sudden onset of tics. I find it strange that your older son has flare ups of his tics twice a year. Maybe your sons tics could be related to PANDAS. My son was diagnosed with this and antibiotics cleared his tics.

[crazy]

Who do I see if it may be PANDAS? We see his pediatrician on Tuesday. Do they run a blood test?

[Chemar]

That was why I asked in my first reply if your children had strep history.

 

You may want to post on our PANDAS forum to get more info.

 

There is now a more specific test available called the Cunningham Test but not yet in all states.

 

Usually doctors will do clinical history, strep cultures and also check to see if there are strep antibodies in the blood. Other infections (apart from strep) can also mimic the symptoms of TS

The Cunningham Test is more accurate from what I understand

Here is a recently updated thread about the Cunningham Test http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4834

There is a link to the lab that runs the tests in one of the more recent posts

[blakes_mom]

A lot of pediatricians are not familiar with PANDAS but it doesnt hurt to ask on Tuesday. Pandasnetwork.org has some good information on pandas and also a list of treating doctors by state.

[crazy]

Yesterday was a pretty good day for having mild tic. Today doesn't look so promising. I notice he now grabs his chin to try to stop the tic. His neck makes an awful cracking sound when he tics. He said it feels much better after the tic. I may need to look into a chiropractor.

[crazy]

We went to pediatrician about 2 weeks ago. She is concerned with his constant constipation. He has been diagnosed with encopresis years ago. She thinks its all psychological and caused by anxiety. She said we need to fix this problem first because with the constipation toxins are being released back into his body. She said when we return on Wednesday we will address the issue of anxiety. She suggested using homeopathic remedies or low dose of zoloft. I have never even considered my child anxious. He can sometimes be shy or quiet. He is very social with peers at school and generally very well behaved at home. I'm not sure how she came up with anxiety. The tics are mild and she feels they are transient even though older son has chronic motor tics. She feels between the anxiety and the toxins in his body he has some motor tics. Anyone else have experience with encopresis and tics?

[Cj60]

My son had constipation issues when he was younger. His pediatrician at the time thought it to be enough of a concern to recommend we use a laxative with him (Miralax), advice which in retrospect I regret having taken. I didn't connect the possibility of a constipation / tics connection until a couple of years later, even though my son had indeed had an initial onset of tics (pulling at his eyelashes, stopping and squatting unexpectedly while he walked) around the same time of his constipation issues. Improvement in his tics over the past two-three years has been a direct result, in my amatuer opinion, of improvements in the health of his digestive system, and his body's ability to rid itself of damaging toxins.

 

So I would look at the constipation carefully as your dr. suggests, while also avoiding any laxative that has potential side affects.

 

- Chris

[crazy]

Chris,

 

Thank you for your input. He has used Miralax for a long time with little success. She wants to "clean" him out by having him drink magnesium citrate, continue with Miralax, no milk, and a daily smoothy with fruit, almond milk, and raw protein.

[Cj60]

Please reconsider continuing use of Miralax : )

 

http://www.judytsafrirmd.com/spotlight-finally-on-miralax/

 

(There's more anecdotal stuff out there if you google it.)

 

Regarding the fruit smoothy... do you know if he's sensitive to any fruits? Sorry if you mentioned it before and I missed it.

I found--through close observation sometimes and by accident others--that some fruit agitated things for my son. At one point I was giving him his vitamin, which was one of the things that notieceably helped reduce the tics, in orange juice. Once I realized that oranges were a problem, and stopped using oj, there was another noticeable decrease in the level of tics.

 

Good luck with things.

 

Chris