Please help New at this

[tryinmybest]

Hello,

 

Although my 10 year old son has had tics for a few years we always thought they were allergy related throat clearing. This fall he started head jerking and the neurologist said he had transient tics. The winter he had mild occasional nose twitches. For the last 6 weeks he has been having vocal tics mainly puffing air out of his nose loudly. I don't even know where to begin other than reading and researching. We have an appointment with neurolgist in June but I am much against medication. In fact I wonder if antihistamines is causing some of his problems. He has been on over the counter at night for over 9 months and then Loradine and others over the years. Right now his snorting is getting worse. Almost nonstop. I don't know what to do. We are trying a wheat free/ dairy free diet but it hasn't helped so far. His nose is running a little more than usual and they are testing in school this week. He is being tested by himself which I understand to have the room be quiet for the other students and he will have less distractions but I don't see how he can concentrate while he is ticcing the whole time. This is a nightmare! How do you start helping your child? His pediatrican didn't know what to do. I wanted him to do some blood tests/to check for nutritional deficencies but he said there wasn't any test for tourettes. Should the doctors do any type of testing to rule out secondary causes or triggers? Sorry for so many questions I just feel alone and desparate.

[CSP]

HI and welcome Try-B,

 

Yes, your Dr. should do some tests, but maybe he is leaving this up to the neuro. A couple things my son was tested for first was blood to make sure he did not have Lyme, and also checked for any seizure activity.

 

All other testing we talk about here is atlernitive.

 

A few things you could keep an eye on is his growth rate right now and any puberty activity. Also any teeth coming in? This may help answer why he is showing an increase in ticcing.

 

I think I would be wondering about the allergy med. too. I would resurch all the ingred. and see what you come up with.

 

Just take it slow and don't worry too much about the increase, as I have seen in my own son they always wane.

 

CP

[Chemar]

Hi and welcome

 

another test is that for strep...not just the regular strep throat swab, but testing for a condition known as PANDAS. some children have tics induced by strep, even when they show no other strep symptoms. we have a PANDAS board where you can learn more http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showforum=17

 

where a neurologist can usually give a TS diagnosis, sadly they seem to only offer drugs as a treatment which, from our experience, can often make things a lot worse with serious side effects. Neuros are also quick to give a TS dx when often other things are causing the tics.

 

we have a lot of info here on vaccination induced tics, candida infection etc.

here are some of our helpful threads http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2459

 

best advice is read and ask as many questions as possible here. we have great members who are so very willing to help each other

[tryinmybest]

Thank you both for your responses. I can't help but think something is triggering him. I have a call into our doctor to ask about Panda testing. When your children are nonstop ticcing do you send them to school? My son doesn't even complain but I don't see how he can concentrate.

[CSP]

Yes, I send my son to school, he needs to learn how to live with ts. I feel my son would use staying home as a crutch if I let him. I really feel letting the teachers see him and hear him in class helped a lot getting the 504 plan for him. I know my son was missing instruction because he could not hear over his own vocals.

 

Good Luck,

CP

[EAMom]

Yes, I agree with Chemar about PANDAS being a possibility. You should definitely get a throat culture (do the 72 hour is the rapid is neg) at your peds right away. If your Ped doesn't know much about PANDAS she/he might not want to do the culture (I'm such a cynic, but there are lots of uniformed docs when PANDAS is concerned) if your child doesn't have other "strep" symptoms (sore throat, fever). In that case you might need to fib and say something to the effect that your son has a complained of a sore throat and there is lots of strep going around his class etc. etc.

 

If the culture is negative then you could consider getting titers done (ASO, anti-dnase B ) although lots of kids with PANDAS have low titers....so that's not 100% either.

 

There is lots more info. on the PANDAS board.