Tic attacks when excited?

[Notokay29]

Hi guys I’m back again, so my 8 year old doesn’t tic much, like the most he’ll do is a face every few hours one and done kinda deal. But during soccer practice, his tics go off like wild! He’s head jerking, facial tics all over, chest puffing, and he’s got a cough (idk if it’s allergies or a tic) anyway I noticed he can go days with rarely ticing, then a soccer game or practice or maybe a trip to the fair and his tics go haywire, even jerks he doesn’t usually do. Now to be honest idk he could be Ticing at school and I wouldn’t know but at home he rarely ever does. My first question any advice on how to help him not tic during practice of a soccer game?  Second question is that I heard sports help the kids from ticing. Idk any advice?

[Chemar]

Hi @Notokay29

Yes, excitement, like stress, seems to sometimes trigger tics.

I would also consider if he may be reacting to something on the field - some kids are very sensitive to the chemical fertilizers or pesticides that may be applied to sports fields.

Similarly a trip to the fair may involve, in addition to the excitement, exposure to foods etc that may be triggering eg my son loved cotton candy but the artificial dyes are big tic triggers to him

So in addition to the potential for the excitement trigger, which one can't really control much....I would also look at any other factors that may be adding triggers.

[Sheila]

Hi Notokay29 --  I would second what Chemar said!  While it is possible that your son is just excited or anxious, there are probably different factors at play.

Do his tics start up at other times when he's excited? Like if someone is coming to his house to play, or he's getting dressed up for halloween, or going to a bday party at someone's house? (Not that this happens as much as it used to, post-Covid!) Try to think of other events that excite him and compare it to what you are describing on the soccer field or fairgrounds.  

As Chemar pointed out, it could be that he is reacting to treatments used on the field. Sometimes fields are treated with pesticides or herbicides, or the area has been sprayed for mosquitos. The same could be said for the fairgrounds. (Other parents have observed this.)

It is also possible that he has inhalant allergies and being outdoors, especially if the grass was recently mowed, could play a role with soccer.

Please read the article Bye Bye Tics on our website you will see how the mother described tics related to baseball. She has a lot of other good info. Click here

Could you get him tested for standard allergies? By that I mean things like grasses, dust and molds? Has that ever been done?

Chemar is right about food at the fairgrounds. (Or Gatorade at a soccer practice/game!)

It sounds like you have done a great job of being observant and trying to figure out what is going on. Please keep that up and add these things to your list of what to watch for!  

 

[Notokay29]

3 hours ago, Sheila said:

Hi Notokay29 --  I would second what Chemar said!  While it is possible that your son is just excited or anxious, there are probably different factors at play.

Do his tics start up at other times when he's excited? Like if someone is coming to his house to play, or he's getting dressed up for halloween, or going to a bday party at someone's house? (Not that this happens as much as it used to, post-Covid!) Try to think of other events that excite him and compare it to what you are describing on the soccer field or fairgrounds.  

As Chemar pointed out, it could be that he is reacting to treatments used on the field. Sometimes fields are treated with pesticides or herbicides, or the area has been sprayed for mosquitos. The same could be said for the fairgrounds. (Other parents have observed this.)

It is also possible that he has inhalant allergies and being outdoors, especially if the grass was recently mowed, could play a role with soccer.

Please read the article Bye Bye Tics on our website you will see how the mother described tics related to baseball. She has a lot of other good info. Click here

Could you get him tested for standard allergies? By that I mean things like grasses, dust and molds? Has that ever been done?

Chemar is right about food at the fairgrounds. (Or Gatorade at a soccer practice/game!)

It sounds like you have done a great job of being observant and trying to figure out what is going on. Please keep that up and add these things to your list of what to watch for!  

 

Hi Sheila, yes at home when he’s playing a fun game he’ll tic once or twice! And that’s basically it, not as bad as when he’s outdoors that’s for sure!! I don’t know if maybe soccer excites him just a little bit more I’m not sure. Last year he did the back allergy test, and it didn’t come up with anything but I know his cough gets so bad when he’s outside and after it rains, he gets that cough every October since he was 4. He did a blood allergy test about 2 years ago and it had I think 25% chance hes allergic to milk, but he never reacted to milk in a negative way. And honestly if he drinks milk and is in a calm environment at home he won’t tic maybe once or twice. It’s always outside that it’s the worst!? At the park, the fair, the school feild. Yesterdays tics were accompanied by an asthma like cough where he almost had trouble breathing! 

[Notokay29]

4 hours ago, Chemar said:

Hi @Notokay29

Yes, excitement, like stress, seems to sometimes trigger tics.

I would also consider if he may be reacting to something on the field - some kids are very sensitive to the chemical fertilizers or pesticides that may be applied to sports fields.

Similarly a trip to the fair may involve, in addition to the excitement, exposure to foods etc that may be triggering eg my son loved cotton candy but the artificial dyes are big tic triggers to him

So in addition to the potential for the excitement trigger, which one can't really control much....I would also look at any other factors that may be adding triggers.

He’s always had bad allergies this time of year. Could it be general outdoor allergies triggering it? But honestly when he plays in our backyard he doesn’t tic at all. So maybe it’s something on those fields for sure! 

[Notokay29]

I would also like to add that since his tic attack started yesterday he came home from school ticcing more than usual today. I took him out to our backyard to see if outside would trigger the tics the same as yesterday and it has not, he only ticced about 3 one second facial tic. We stayed out an hour same as his practice yesterday. He was running laps and played for a bit but I don’t think he got as excited as he did yesterday. He was a lot more calm and less ticky..

[Notokay29]

Also, I’m sorry I forgot to mention, he has mildly obstructive sleep apnea, and enlarged tonsils and adenoids, and is scheduled to have them both removed early next year. 

[Atex]

I noticed a trend of ticcing more when outside that I suspected was from increased lighting; particularly the glary type of light we get outside of the summer season.  I was watching the interview of Billie Eilish and David Letterman and she even mentioned that lighting sets her tics off.  Might be a sensory overload type of thing.

That said, yeah, soccer fields are sadly pesticide ridden (note pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides).

Remember, it can be multiple aggravating factors coming together to push him over the limit.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Atex

[Notokay29]

5 hours ago, Atex said:

I noticed a trend of ticcing more when outside that I suspected was from increased lighting; particularly the glary type of light we get outside of the summer season.  I was watching the interview of Billie Eilish and David Letterman and she even mentioned that lighting sets her tics off.  Might be a sensory overload type of thing.

That said, yeah, soccer fields are sadly pesticide ridden (note pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides).

Remember, it can be multiple aggravating factors coming together to push him over the limit.

I agree, because honestly the rest of the week he barely even ticced. So it’s something in the soccer field for sure! Honestly it just makes me feel bad, like something that’s supposed to be fun, I’m not looking forward to it anymore because he’ll be coughing and ticcing up a storm.