Looking for medical help - Michigan

[DawnL]

Hello! My son is 8 years old and has been experiencing a vocal (dry cough) tic for about a year now. We have been (like most I'm sure), just hoping it would pass. Over the past 3-4 months several other tics have come and gone, including a neck stretch and just recently an almost constant "f" sound...which sometimes he ends under his breath with the four-letter word. This has since passed and he says that he can now control that one. For me, this is was the most worrisome in terms of social situations and school.

Anyhow, we have taken him to an allergist who did an entire blood panel on him and found an allergy to dust mites. We took all the necessary steps to making sure our house was mite free (mattress covers, removal of carpet, air filter, etc...) and the dr. prescribed an inhaler. After about 1 month of the inhaler treatment, we realized the tics were still there, so we then turned to a nutritionist who did an MRT food sensitivity test on him and we removed soy, egg, dairy, and gluten from his diet for about 3 weeks. Again, we didn't see much improvement...during this time, the cough tic went away, but the neck stretch tic emerged. I just took him to his pediatric doctor who mentioned Hazidol as a treatment and referred us to a neurologist. We are hoping to not go that route.

I have the Natural Treatment for Tics book and have read it cover to cover. I would LOVE to take my son to a doctor like some of the other families have described, but I am just unsure about how to find one that is inline and has experience with the type of holistic approach we would like to continue to take.

We live in Michigan and I'm wondering if someone has a recommendation for a naturopath or environmental doctor that might specialize in Tourettes and Tic Disorders. We are willing to travel and also live about 1.5 hrs from the Chicago area. Can anyone recommend someone that could help us? Thank you! This forum has really been a lifesaver on the many sleepless nights I have spent scouring the internet for answers to help my son. 

[Sheila]

Hi Dawn,  You've taken a number of sensible approaches and made a significant effort;  I'm sorry you haven't hit on the answers you need yet for your boy.

It can be complex to sort everything out. For example, and I'm just throwing this out there for the concept--the diet could have been helping and maybe your community sprayed for mosquitoes and that triggered the neck tic. I'm not suggesting this happened--but it's why it can take patience and investigating to figure things out with environmental approaches. 

Let's see if others come up with ideas for you as far as physicians.  In the meantime I'm sending a private message since you said you are willing to travel.  Sheila 

[msimon3]

Hi Dawn, does your son have any other symptoms ?  Sometimes tics are one of many symptoms experienced, and sometimes tics are the sole symptom.  Symptoms may help you focus on which next steps will be most beneficial for you.   I would recommend seeing an immunologist to rule-in or rule-out any infectious disease with some detailed blood work on red and white blood cells.