Son with ADHD, Tics and OCD dialated pupils

[coriv1]

Hi everyone! My son suffers from ADHD, Tourettes and OCD. He is on a low dose of stimulant medication (which makes his OCD and Tics worse, but he is unable to function in school without it). We have just started exploring dietary intervention along with supplements (we are researching both now). We know he is sensitive to gluten and dairy, but have been pretty lazy about adhering to a diet. In the past year or so, we have seen a sharp rise in his symptoms so we are motivated to modify his diet. I wanted to get a baseline of his symptoms before the elimination diet. My husband and I have long noticed that his pupils are often very dialated. Much more so than ours in all types of light. Has anyone else experienced that? I thought it might be worth noting in the diet/behavior log.

Thanks! This is a fabulous site and has helped us tremendously!

[MomWithOCDSon]

Hi!

 

Just wondering if, given the comorbidities you've cited, if you've ever looked into PANDAs/PANs, or if you've noted any coincidences with "waxing" or "waning" of your son's behaviors with common illnesses (strep, etc.) or exposures to family members who are sick?

 

Many of us with kids in the PANDAs/PANs group have noted dialated pupils, and in my son's case, this symptom was associated with "fight or flight" episodes. It also tended to correlate with high histamine periods associated with seasonal allergies, eczema, etc. Certain foods can also drive histaminergic reactions, particularly in kids who are sensitive, so that might be one place to begin in terms of dietary responses.

 

Good luck!

[mommybee]

PANDAS came to my mind too. It's possible that the OCD, tics, ADHD and dilated pupils are related and all symptoms of an infection and that, once cured, could result in a reduction or elimination of the issues you describe. Before increasing stimulant medication, which is known to aggravate movement disorders, I would strongly urge you to have your son tested for strep, especially if his issues came on abruptly following a febrile illness.

 

If nothing else, you owe it to your son to read up on PANDAS/PANS. I've provided what I think are some excellent links below.

 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/labs-at-nimh/research-areas/clinics-and-labs/pdnb/web.shtml

https://iocdf.org/pandas/

http://pandasnetwork.org/understandingpandaspans/about-pandaspans/whatispandas/

http://healthier.stanfordchildrens.org/q-sudden-symptoms-first-sign-pans-pandas/