Could it be?

[frank_kerly]

Hi all,

 

Three days ago we celebrated our son's first birthday. He had a lot of fun (even though the Elmo character we hired did scare him a bit at first).

 

It was a long day for him and understandably he was tired and irritable by the end of it. Nevertheless, I remember thinking something was not quite right about him. He seemed a little quiet and subdued or withdrawn. At the time I just attributed it to the party with all the people and activity possibly being too overwhelming for him.

 

That night we noticed the shoulder tic. This involved mostly the right shoulder, but also the left side. He would shrug the shoulder(s) repeatedly (but not necessarily in rhythm). He did this more frequently as he became more excited.

 

I immediately did an internet search for involuntary shoulder shrugging and TS came up. I just can't accept this right now. I've been on the internet searching for alternate answers every day since for hours on end. Exhausted, at 4am this morning I came across this forum and decided to post something and give the searching a break.

 

We have his 1 year check-up scheduled for tomorrow. I've made a list of things I want to tell and ask his ped. Among them are:

 

- Shoulder shrugging. Frequent, mostly unilateral, kind of random but seem to increase in frequency during periods of excitement.

- Three times (once while just falling asleep) he made a grunting sound along with the shrug. Actually one of those looked like he experienced pain as reached up and then pulled back his hand and touched his check while shrugging that shoulder and grunting.

- Hands, arms, shoulders and torso seem to twitch slightly for a while shortly after he falls asleep

- He's been more sleepy during the daytime than is usual. He is napping twice as long and still seems tired at times after waking.

- He is eating less in the past 3 days

- His demeanor today wasn't any different than in the past

- As far as I remember, rubbing eyes and nose repeatedly when tired

- Five days ago, he woke up (in sitting position), choked (on saliva?) and vomited, but otherwise seemed perfectly fine afterwards.

- He had episodes of projectile vomiting 3 times in the past when he tasted new food he didn't like. He would taste, spit it out and then wrench until he started vomiting. Afterwards he would smile and seem relieved and normal.

- He is teething (only 2 bottom and 1 top so far)

- Is the shoulder shrugging something we should be concerned about?

- Should we see a specialist?

- Could this be TS?

 

Are there any other things we should be observing before we see the ped tomorrow? Are there any other questions we should be asking?

 

Thanks for any help.

 

P.S. He just started walking today! He's taken a few steps in the past, but today he was walking all over the place. That event really cheered me up for a while.

[Chemar]

Hi and welcome

 

honestly, I would first check into a possible illness/infection being the root of these tics, especially if you do not have a family history of tics or Tourette

 

has your child been exposed to strep ?

 

recent vaccinations?

 

change of diet?

 

any household painting or new carpet? new car? pesticides?

 

so many things can trigger tics and so, especially with your little guy being so young, TS is not necessarily the issue

[CSP]

Welcome,

 

My son has a friend allergic to MSG, I would make sure your son does not eat any foods with MSG in it. He is so young this would be a great time to make sure your son does not eat foods with dye and no perservatives.

 

I hope you find answers, I pray this is not TS.

 

God Bless,

CP

[P_Mom]

My younger son started the exact same way (PANDAS). One day, he just didn't seem right, he was withdrawn (we were at a picnic and he didn't want to play with anyone..very unlike him), anyway, he became withdrawn and quiet, etc. Within a day or so, the tics started, and with him, also OCD, but, every child presents with different symptoms to varying degrees. I agree with Chemar and to look into the infection route first, even though there may have been no signs of physical illness...since you will be at the docs today, PLEASE ask them to run a blood test to check for recent strep...ask for ASO and AntiDNAase B titer to be drawn..not just throat CULTURE (the one they grow), but, have them do that too. It can't hurt to have this done, and, you may just find your answer...and you would be very fortunate because early intervention with PANDAS is key... once a child has it for a while...the basic antibiotic treatments MAY no longer be effective and further treatments would be necessary.

[P_Mom]

Also, yes, like Chemar said....any vaccinations recently?

[kim]

I'm sorry you're going through this fright with your little one! This is a great place to get a little support for yourself too. Most of us really understand those" all night searces."

 

My youngest son did the gagging thing and started elimimating foods that he had always eaten with gusto somewhere around your sons age, althou I think he was closer to 15 mos? He also turned very orange. I don't know if you are seeing anything like that, but thought I would mention it.

 

Cheri brought up many of the points that I was thinking too.

 

Please consider holding off on any immunizations until you have a few more answers. I suspect they will be recommended at this appt? It's a subject that I have some pretty strong feelings on, and I hope you will carefully consider what you really feel is in your son's best interest, not just the Ped keeping his schedule current. In PANDAS situations or even conditions like antiphospholid syndrome, the potential for immunizations to trigger/contribute to autoimmune response is really concerning IMHO.

 

Hope you will let us know how your appt. goes today.

 

 

 

Edit...removed info that apparently didn't pertain. Either I got posts mixed up, or I'm losing my marbles. Both are possibilities!

[P_Mom]

Kim....excellent point on considering holding off on immunizations at this point....really, great advice IMO!

 

Frank and Kerly,

 

If possible...try to get a ten day course of antibiotics from you doc today...even with no illness, and see if it has an effect on his tics. When we took my older son in to the doc two days after onset of tics......doc says...just common simple tics...they will go away. Well, somehow we managed to get a course of Amox. out of him that day, and within one day of it...my sons tics ceased almost 100%. I mean, it was a dramatic difference! This happened twice with him...I wonder how he would be doing today if we haden't gotten the antibiotics? Today, he is symptom free. I just feel your son is young and since this is first episode, you really have a golden opportunity to intervene now and get effective treatment for your son to prevent a chronic condition....IF it is a PANDAS type reaction.

[frank_kerly]

Thank you all for the replies. We had an early morning appointment with his ped, so didn't get to read them until afterwards.

 

The doctor wasn't concerned about the tic at this time, but said to keep an eye on it to see if it worsens. (Figures, Christopher didn't tic once during the 35 minutes we were with the doctor).

 

We're thinking that if the situation remains the same within the next couple of days, we will ask to see a neurologist.

 

He only did a visual exam of his ears, throat and nose and said all was well. Would a neurologist order the more comprehensive tests if we asked?

 

We already had concerns about the vaccination shots before reading your replies and expressed them to the doctor.

 

He convinced us to go ahead with them. Now, after reading your replies, we're regretting that decision.

 

The doctor's biggest concern was the fact that Christopher was under weight. He wants us to start him on PediaSure.

 

We'll be watching him like a hawk tonight, video camera at hand.

[lynnie1264]

Hi. To me this seems more like a virus, reaction to something. Did he eat anything out of the usual at his party? Considering how he's been sick aswell I would think it's more something like that. {not that I know that much! }

Hope all goes well, please let us know...

Take care, Lyn.

[CSP]

F. & K.

 

Are you saying your son did get the vaccines today? (DTAP, MMR?) Which ones were they? Just wondering what they give out these days at 1yo.

 

CP

[frank_kerly]

Hi Lyn, he hadn't had anything unusual to eat that day or before. Only thing out of the ordinary was the party.

 

Hi CP, today he received three shots - MMR, Varicella and Pneumococcal C.

 

9PM and no fever or irritability. The shoulder shrugs are still there.

 

Have a good night all.

[frank_kerly]

Hi all, just a quick update...

 

Christopher's shoulder shrugging has decreased significantly in frequency during the past few days (once or less every couple of hours from many times per hour). He's back to normal in other aspects too.

 

If he stops improving or regresses, we'll follow up with a visit to a specialist.

 

Thanks for asking.