Tic Attacks in Car

[kmilligan06]

My daughter has tourettes. She's 16 and just over the last few months has developed motor and vocal tics that have taken away her ability to enjoy her teenage life. It's been a nightmare. We are seeing a natural doctor and chiropractor who has helped us find her food sensitivities, chemical sensitivities and metal sensitivities. Today I noticed that she has a severe tic attack while I'm driving her in our car. She starts talking about feeling nauseous, and that she can feel them starting in her belly. From there her tics become out of control, not that they're ever in control.  It takes a good 25-30 minutes after she gets out of the car for her body to settle down. Has anyone else experienced this with their child with tics?  What could possibly be causing these tic attacks in our 2003 Ford Explorer?  Any help is greatly appreciated. 

[Chemar]

Hi kmilligan06

My son used to tic more in the car! I have heard many theories on why, but never was able to settle on anything finite, other than that for him it may have been a time of tic release? ie driving home after school, or on the way to something where he felt he wanted to suppress tics when there.

One positive thing is that, where I was originally concerned this would mean he ticced more once he started driving, amazingly this has not been the case. He has been driving since of age and is now in his early 30s

[Outofthefryingpan]

Hi kmilligan06, 

I am so sorry to hear of this development. I know it can be so worring and distracting for both of you when it happens when you are driving your daughter. My son tics in the car but in his case I think it is more due to fatigue and release. (He also has to deal with trying to ignore intrusive thoughts). I have often wondered to what extent fuel, PM and off-gassing from car components contribute to the overall inflammation in the body. To remove these completely for us would mean a house move and a dramatic lifestyle change. It is also possible that the car may be a red herring and it might be something that is occuring before her journey that is impacting her (including stress). Is it in both directions that it occurs (to and from home) that it occurs? Is the car new from the factory? 

[Chemar]

We have had numerous reports here of children ticcing more in *new cars* - but the post indicated this is a 2003 Ford Explorer?

[kmilligan06]

@Outofthefryingpan

Her tics seem to pick up about 4-5 minutes into the drive and it takes hours for her body to relax again. We've been only driving her to the chiropractor and our naturalist because they become very painful. The newest tic is a gasping tic which has been worrisome, and it seems to only happen in the car. She doesn't have a gasping tic anywhere else.

My husband thinks it may be mold or chemicals from a leaky window. I took her car through a car wash the day before she started having severe tic attacks in the car. I haven't asked her to get back in the explorer even though we've dried the floors out and cleaned the inside with safe soap. 

I'll have to try it out again on our next trip to see if its still a trigger. I hope it isn't because it is actually her car she used to drive before she started having tics 3 months ago. 

[Chemar]

@kmilligan06

Does she only tic more in the 03 Explorer - or in other vehicles as well?

If there is mold in the Ford that may well be a trigger - or some other substance in it. That is if that is the only vehicle triggering her increased tics?

Also, are the increased tics only when she is a passenger in the car, or does it also happen when she is driving?

[Nate]

Any fragrances (plant based) used in car? Are you wearing perfume, strong deodorant, laundry detergent, or dryer sheets on clothes?

[Chemar]

That's a good point Nate as many have reported fragrances trigger tics, and so many products have artificial perfume these days (including some febreeze, and other so called air fresheners)

In our family, 2 of us are highly sensitive to artificial perfumes but tolerate essential oils (from plants) very well, in fact beneficially.