Flares

[Tattoomom]

DS (12) has PANS. Started at age 5. He's been mostly tic free these past couple of years, aside from blinking or throat clearing that pop in and out randomly, but they never stick around, and only happen a few times a year. All of a sudden, a few weeks ago, he started with a brand new tic. A facial tic where he flares his nostrils and widens his mouth. He's never done this before and hasn't been sick lately. What causes this flare? Should I up his antibiotic? He's kinda bothered by it

[T_Mom]

Hi -- Our oldest daughter had a similar tic show up, I called it mouth stretching.

 

If it has been there for 3+ weeks I think I would definitely call your PANS treating doctor and inquire about upping the antibiotic. Is he on "full strength" as if he had strep now? If not, you may want to at least try that for four weeks -- and see if there is a change.

 

Also, in my opinion, a trial of advil for a few days may be an idea--if neither of these work then I would be asking for a steroid burst to see if that would help. A 12 year old boy would definitely be bothered by such an obvious tic.

Good luck.

[Tattoomom]

Hi -- Our oldest daughter had a similar tic show up, I called it mouth stretching.

 

If it has been there for 3+ weeks I think I would definitely call your PANS treating doctor and inquire about upping the antibiotic. Is he on "full strength" as if he had strep now? If not, you may want to at least try that for four weeks -- and see if there is a change.

 

Also, in my opinion, a trial of advil for a few days may be an idea--if neither of these work then I would be asking for a steroid burst to see if that would help. A 12 year old boy would definitely be bothered by such an obvious tic.

Good luck.

It started a couple weeks ago. He's on full strength, but only 3 days a week. M, W, F. I'll try Advil and see. I plan to ask his doctor for full-strength for a month. Just makes me wonder why he started up all of a sudden?

[NYCMom]

We've had this one too. Though we're at a point (been off prophyl abx for over a year) where we just wait them out unless we suspect strep. It usually turns out that someone in school has strep and he's just reacting to the proximity.