How old were you when you got them?

[ilovedogs]

Well, I am totally disheartened at all the responses here! I always thought that research showed that tics decrease after puberty, but many repliers to this thread claim it wasn't the case for them. I keep praying that my son's tics will always be minimal and that if they continue that they won't be a problem in his future. Sigh!

 

Bonnie

[anne]

Bonnie,

Please don't be disheartened. My son started with motor tics when he was 4. His tics reduced significantly from age 16 on. He is now 19 and pretty much tic free. The neurologist that saw him at 5 years old, told us he thought he would outgrow it by adulthood. I so wanted to believe him, but was so scared. So I am very happy to say that it can happen, the tics can reduce significantly or go away.

 

Anne

[lurker]

Bonnie,

 

I would trust the literature on this. I assume that demographic (kids who used to tic) wouldn't be well represented here. I imagine they don't want to think about tics or talk about tics, much less seek a discussion board on the topic. There are, thankfully, a handfull of parents whose children no longer tic who check in here occasionally and support and encourage the rest of us.

[melanie]

Bonnie,

 

I would trust the literature on this. I assume that demographic (kids who used to tic) wouldn't be well represented here. I imagine they don't want to think about tics or talk about tics, much less seek a discussion board on the topic. There are, thankfully, a handfull of parents whose children no longer tic who check in here occasionally and support and encourage the rest of us.

 

 

For those children who have ticed less after puberty did you do anything different before puberty or after that would make a significant change?Meds ?supps?

[ilovedogs]

Bonnie,

Please don't be disheartened. My son started with motor tics when he was 4. His tics reduced significantly from age 16 on. He is now 19 and pretty much tic free. The neurologist that saw him at 5 years old, told us he thought he would outgrow it by adulthood. I so wanted to believe him, but was so scared. So I am very happy to say that it can happen, the tics can reduce significantly or go away.

 

Anne

Thank you, Anne! I am just in setback mode for right now. He was doing so well and yet I wonder if it's the supplements or just a waning period that's making things better. I just get so down for him b/c people ask him what's wrong with his face or eyes, etc. He seems to take it in stride but I don't think he'll be as easy going about it when he gets to his teen years! I keep praying for answers, trying different elimination diets, different supplements, etc. only to come against a brick wall. Sometimes the days seem so long, but the years keep flying by!

 

Bonnie

[lynsey]

Husband - tics started around 7-8 years old

Age now: 49

Increase or decrease: changed throughout the years. Severe motor and vocal tics

when young, peaking in late elementary school, subsiding slightly in high school.

Went away in early adulthood when adhered to a rigid diet of no processed foods,

no artificial colors or flavors. Tics returned when he went off the diet. Now they

are still there, not really decreasing, fairly significant head bob, eye blinking and sniffing tics,

but can control them in public and at work (usually).

Note: I believe the severity of his childhood tics was affected negatively by an

accident he had, and subsequent severe infection where he almost died. Otherwise I

don't believe his tics would have been as severe.

 

Father-in-law: age tics began: unknown. He denies that he has them.

Age now: 82

Increase or decrease: I noticed his tics (subtle as they were), when I first met him

when he was in his 60's. They are pretty much gone now.

 

Younger son: tics around 4-5 years old

Age now: almost 16

Increase or decrease: tics have decreased since gr. 6-7-8 and pretty much ceased since high school started.

 

Older son: tics started around 4-5 years old

Age now: 18

Increase or decrease: tics have decreased. Goes long stretches without any tics, but still crop up now and again (mostly subtle neck twists,

sometimes eye blinks)