Freaking out-think my DD also have tics!

[patty]

As you all know, my son had a sudden onset of motor & vocal tics for the past 9 months. His tics have gradually decline and i am feeling some comfort to know that he is getting better.

 

However, today my 5 year old daughter told me her neck hurts because today in class she lost control of her neck. Her neck tilted left, then right, then forward and back. And the back tilt was the one that really hurt her. She tried to stop by holding her head and it didn't help. I gave her some magnesium creme on her neck tonite and told her to let me know if that happens again calmly. She said it happened before but was too busy to tell me.

 

Also, about 2 months ago, out of the blue, my daughter told me she wants to make the sound as if she wants to heck up food from her throat every now & then. Since then, i notice she would make that sound sparadically thru out the day but didn't pay much attention to it because kids do weird things.

 

My heart sank when my daughter told me about her neck pain tonite. She is very articulate and does not lie. I have never discuss my son's tics in front of my daughter and she never notice her brother's tics or ask about them.

 

My heart is filled with so much sadness, i don't know what to do.

 

My son has been taking an Epsom bath daily for about 2 months. And my daughter would bathe in the same tub after my son. Can the tub be contaminated with detox from my son's bath? I know it sounds ridiculous but i need to know. Can someone please give me some perspective!

 

In the meantime, should i start giving my daughter Epsom baths? My mind tells me the logicial thing to do is to observe her, but on the other hand, my son's tics came on so sudden and acute. I would like to treat it now before it becomes a problem.

 

My daughter does not have any known food & environmental allergies or asthma, but within the last year, she started to have some nasal congestion and teary eyes on occassion but nothing to be alarmed. Also, she doesn't have sensory (my son must keep his socks on 24/7) or anger issue as my son.

 

We don't know of any family members with TS. What are the chances that my daughter may have what my son has?! Is it common for siblings to have same issues?

 

Patty

[Cum Passus]

Patty,

 

I know how you feel. My son has two sisters the older one is 15 the younger is 9 and the younger one I worry about all the time I would watch her like a hawk to see if she would do the same things. If she hummed I would freak out. My husband is the one that told me I can't keep doing that, it would drive me crazy. I still do it but not as bad. I hope this is nothing and will keep you and your daughter in our prayers.

 

C.P.

[Chemar]

Hi Patty

 

first off, I wanted to give you a (((((((HUG)))))))) as I could sense from your post just how worried you are

 

There is no way IMHO that your daughter could have "caught" tics from sharing Epsom Salts tub water with your son.......but she certainly would benefit from having her own with the full concentrated effect of the salts

 

Remember that with the TS gene, it doesnt always manifest in the same way in all people and so there may be a family link, but with tics so mild that they have gone unnoticed in the past

 

throat clearing and neck stretching/bobbing/lashing are recognised TS tics

 

However, there could well be other factors, whether environmental or internal that could be causing both kids to tic

 

I apologise for not remembering, but have you had PANDAS testing done?

 

Also, has your house got any new paint/new carpet/new wood furniture etc and do you use any pesticides indoors? on any garden areas that the kids come in contact with?

 

And have you done any pyroluria tests. There too, there can be a family link, especially if anyone in the family has a history of alcoholism.

 

These are just random ideas that come to mind in ways to help you possibly find answers to the cause of the tics.......

 

dont lose hope Patty..whether both your kids are exhibiting TS tics or whatever the cause, they will be ok and with continued diligence, you will find ways to keep them as healthy and happy as possible.

Remember to keep looking after you to............ A stressed out anxious mom is something kids pick up on like a radar and it negatively affects them too.

A good Epsom Salts soak before bed can work wonders for moms too

[Cum Passus]

Patty,

 

I think Chemar is right look for anything that might not be right.

 

I just found on our dixie plastic cups a fine white powder I don't know what the heck that could be, but it was on every one. Tossed them all out. We'll drink out of mason jars if we have to.

 

Grossed Out,

C.P.

[patty]

Thank you C.P. & Chemar for your kind words and perspective, especially for the confirmation of sharing the same bath tub. I really needed to hear that.

 

We are very careful with chemical and toxic materials inside the house. We used non-toxic cleaners.

 

We have ruled out PANDA for my son with his neurologist.

 

I woke up feeling better today and more hopeful. I will continue praying.

 

Patty

[Laurensmom]

Patty, just wanted to add that the natural course of TS is that tics become apparent around the age of 5 and are nearly gone by the age of 18 for many/most kids. If your daughter is having tics, it may not be TS, she may just have "childhood tics" and they may pass? Also from the ages of 8-12 tics are heavier than at any other period according to studies conducted by Yale.

 

Best wishes to you.

[Ronnas]

Hi Patty,

 

I wanted to let you know about our experience. I have been posting here for years so most know that my oldest son has PANDAS. Between the ages of 5-7 his tics were quite severe. Now at 10 years old he is mostly tic free and doing well on azithromycin once a week. Anyways, a few years ago my other son started a tic...I could have fallen over...what was the trigger? ME (sort of)!!!! I remember saying in front of him to a friend how the one tic my older son did that drove me NUTS at the time was a HMMM sound. I think my younger son may have heard me ... not one of my finer moments! My younger son was about 6 years old and I think originally he may have done the hmmm sound to copy his brother (maybe a some attention getting behavior/also if a kid is "ticcy" I find they are "catchy"...a kid in my older son's class has begun to tic and heck if he isn't doing the same tic now at times). The tic sort of stuck around and since that time he sort of does a quiet HMMM sound when he is getting some new teeth. It no longer bothers me and it disappears eventually. Overall I have no concerns with him.

 

I now have a one year old boy also and I am quietly "obsessed" with watching his development! EVERYONE tells me "not to worry"...it drives me NUTS...seriously after everything I have been through with my older son it would be crazy not to watch my youngest closely. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that everything turned out well for my younger son when I noticed a bit of a tic and hopefully this will be the case with your daughter and I certainly understand your worry!

 

Ronna

[kim]

Patty,

 

I know exactly what Ronna means about tics being "catchy."

 

We have a boy who is blinky, and a nose scruncher in our neighborhood, and another little boy with some ADHD type symptoms. When my youngest son was head shaking, the two of them started doing it too. All three of them would be bike riding, and all 3 were head shaking. I thought, it was just kids copying kids, but I have to wonder, if at least one, didn't have a propensity toward it, and it was brought out from seeing my son do it.

 

My oldest son, told me that one child did it all the time, even when my younger son, was no where around. They have since moved, so I don't know if it passed or not.

 

I also know that you don't think that this is a copy cat behavior with your daughter, so all we can do is hope, as in Ronnas younger child's case, that it just doesn't escalate, if it was a tic.

 

I know the despair of watching, and in our case accepting, that my youngest child, was going to be affected too. One thing, that I can share from our experience, is the course of this thing, with the two boys has been radically different. To this point, my youngest son (10), has not really been bothered by the minimal tics. He was probably around 4, when I could see some eye movements. I think he was 7 when he had his one and only head shaking flair. He has had a mild shoulder shrug, a teeth clicking tic, that he only did at home when relaxing, and some mild eye movements. The eye movements, I still see, when we don't use enzymes.

 

I would like to think, that some of the supplements, enzymes, probiotics, etc. have helped to keep things in check. I do know, that he is not sick as often, his extreme paleness and dark circles are so much better, and his stamina is much improved. He is an extremley limited eater, so I'm positive he has gotten a lot of benefit from the supplements.

 

Thoughts are with you.

 

Kim

[patty]

Kim,

 

Thx for taking the time out and sharing your experience with me. I really appreciate it. I have been observing my daughter the last couple of days and have not seen anything like what she told me. I am hoping that it is one of those unexplainable things that happens. To play it safe, i am giving her a daily Epsom salt bath as it really helps with my son's motor tics.

 

Patty