Attention issues and tics?

[ilovedogs]

My ds has trouble staying on track with things. He also has trouble paying attention and gets easily distracted. Our naturopath told me that most supplements that help with attention will more than likely make his tics worse. How do I balance this? His attention stuff is really starting to get in the way of his school work but also with his sports as he just seems checked out. He also seems to have bad recall/memory issues. Like if you ask him what happened and ask for specifics he will be able to give you the outcome of something but can't remember the details or he gets them confused. Not sure where that falls on the ADD/memory scale, lol! Anyway, any suggestions? Supplements? Therapy, and if so, what kind of therapist? Neurofeedback(does it work)?

 

Thanks,

 

B

[anthem218]

Have you looked into having him evaluated for Vision Therapy? Vision problems can mimic other things such as ADD and the therapies might help your child. My daughter has some mild tics and she takes just a little bit of magnesium every day as well as DHA fish oils because she seems to lack focus. She has never been diagnosed with ADD but the teachers do say she lacks focus and is disorganized. However, the DHA seems to help a bit, as well as avoiding food dyes and too much sugar. The latter proves the most effective. I am, however, having her evaluated for tracking and eye teaming problems because she seems to show a lot of symptoms. However, the symptoms for ADD and eye tracking problems are very similiar, so it is worth looking into--an actual approach at remediation rather than medication.

 

I have been dying to get info on neurofeedback but no one has posted any replies about my quesitons regarding it.

[Chemar]

Bonnie

 

Gingko biloba has helped with my son's ADD

 

also the Omega 3's are beneficial. There's some research from the UK on Borage Oil being especially helpful for ADD

 

Fish Oil of course is one of the best for omega 3 but as you know it may make tics worse for some

[ilovedogs]

Yeah, Cheri, we can't do the fish oils. I should try finding some flaxseed oil or borage for him to try. I've never tried gingko but I'll start looking for something he can take. He still won't swallow pills so I may have to find a tincture.

 

Thanks,

Bonnie

[Fixit]

where would you go for vision therapy....my ds does have a tracking problem it's a little better(i think) with some eye exercieses we've done...

but he says it makes his eyes hurt?

 

i too would like to know about neuro feedback vs cranio therapy and were do go for this???

[dmc2267]

Have you looked into having him evaluated for Vision Therapy? Vision problems can mimic other things such as ADD and the therapies might help your child. My daughter has some mild tics and she takes just a little bit of magnesium every day as well as DHA fish oils because she seems to lack focus. She has never been diagnosed with ADD but the teachers do say she lacks focus and is disorganized. However, the DHA seems to help a bit, as well as avoiding food dyes and too much sugar. The latter proves the most effective. I am, however, having her evaluated for tracking and eye teaming problems because she seems to show a lot of symptoms. However, the symptoms for ADD and eye tracking problems are very similiar, so it is worth looking into--an actual approach at remediation rather than medication.

 

I have been dying to get info on neurofeedback but no one has posted any replies about my quesitons regarding it.

 

 

Hi I haven't been on this forum in a few months..trying to catch up..I posted about Neurofeedback last July for attentional issues for a HAPPY mainstreamed Asperger's child, see Forum: Tourette Syndrome/Tics • Post Preview: #35551 trying to find answers to help my son.

 

I normally do not like to comment on anyone's choice or therapies as all situations and children are different, I actually walked away from the pc after reading your statement "if anyone had information on Neurofeedback" but thinking about someone else going through what my son has it didn't feel right to just walk away. The state my son was left in after Neurofeedback, still two years later, is heartbreaking and no one or drug can help him I long for the days I have just have to tell him to "pay attention" or "focus". I thought I did quite a lot of research is did not find any negative from this so I save up and decide to do this. My son is now constantly ticking vocal and motor, he never had tics or stims prior, he's regresses both cognitively and socially and is no longer happy.

 

I NOW know there are several variables tied to successful Neurofeedback, particularity technique and provider training of the therapy-which is what I am kind of thinking went wrong with my son's therapy. It's not something just anyone can do. I also wanted to pass this article I found, accidentally, "Negative Effects and the Need for Standards of Practice in Neurofeedback" http://www.aapb.org/tl_files/AAPB/files/bi...ive_effects.pdf , This article could have been writing with my son as the model.

[Chemar]

Hi dmc and thanks for posting, tho I am so sorry to hear of what your son suffered from the neurofeedback

 

i have posted here a number of times in the past on it being something people need to be very cautious of after hearing some negative reports about it related to TS and also for kids who tic from other issues.

 

so where I am do sympathize with you re your son, I am thankful that you posted your experience to reinforce that need for caution!

 

Biofeedback is very different, and my son has had much benefit from that.

[dmc2267]

Hi dmc and thanks for posting, tho I am so sorry to hear of what your son suffered from the neurofeedback

 

i have posted here a number of times in the past on it being something people need to be very cautious of after hearing some negative reports about it related to TS and also for kids who tic from other issues.

 

so where I am do sympathize with you re your son, I am thankful that you posted your experience to reinforce that need for caution!

 

Biofeedback is very different, and my son has had much benefit from that.

 

I found it very difficult to find anyone who had negative results or research that said anything other than positive outcomes and "it just didn't have its time in the sun yet to be thought of as it should be". I read about people purchasing the machine and doing it at home on their own, even athletes and successful businessmen doing it for conditioning but I never read about any factors to consider such as application training or that in trying to achieve desired results it could cause permanent irrecoverable harm. I always read in order to be a lasting effect the child needs to have maintenance sessions, matter of fact, I was led to believe that if a session had undesirable results, it was just a matter of going to the office for an adjustment. I found out this was not the case when the adjustments weren't working and only making things worse and I asked for my son to be put back to his pre-Neuro state based on the QEGG. I've also spoke to parents who children have has great success with it but no one could tell me what was different about my child that he didn't. Like I said in my original post, I do not like to comment or judge on the paths parents chose for their child, when I read the post asking for information on Neuro, I kept thinking I would hate to see another family have the same results I did.

 

My son never has a tic before and was doing extremely well academically, he is mainstreamed and his tics are a disruption to him, his teachers and classmates. On-going social understanding with age was still lagging but was coming along, especially with the preteen years but he was able to maintain and progress. His post-Neuro state is being blamed on him being a pre-teen, he is 12 1/2 now but had just turned 11 at the time of Neuro, I do not believe this is the case, I was there, I heard and saw the tics come with each Neuro session and change form and intensity as the Neuro was adjusted to try to fix the issue. This has had a horrible effect on him socially and mentally, he's become so withdrawn and unmotivated and no longer has the academic strengths he once had which gave him confidence and pride.. He plays ice hockey (team for developmentally disabled children) and has quit TaeKwonDo after 7 years, he's a black belt, and he has participated in numerous academic competitions, because of the vocal and motor tics slowing him down, these competitions are no longer a positive experience for him which makes matters worse. As a parent, I was at the stage where I felt all his years of hard work (therapies -ABA, social skills, etc.) was all coming together, he was getting the bigger picture and I was at the point I had no doubt he would have a successful future, the last component he needed to gain control of was his attention span which was why we chose to do the Neuro. I am now scared of what the future will hold for him.

[faith]

dmc,

thank you for posting your experience with this type of modality, as it is important for others seeking certain treatments to have feedback from others. thank you very much.

 

May I ask why you originally started neurofeedback? is it on the other thread, I'll have to go read. was this for the asberger's issue? your son sounds like an awesomely talented little fellow, I am truly sorry things have turned around, perhaps it will not be longlasting, and things will turn around again. God Bless.

 

Faith

[dmc2267]

dmc,

thank you for posting your experience with this type of modality, as it is important for others seeking certain treatments to have feedback from others. thank you very much.

 

May I ask why you originally started neurofeedback? is it on the other thread, I'll have to go read. was this for the asberger's issue? your son sounds like an awesomely talented little fellow, I am truly sorry things have turned around, perhaps it will not be longlasting, and things will turn around again. God Bless.

 

Faith

We originally started Neuro to help my son with focusing/attention, he's one of those kids who appears to not be paying attention..doing several things at once..but then when you question him he would repeat what you said as if he was only attending to you, .he also would get distracted by the littlest thing and focus too much on detail rather than the "bigger picture". I don't know if it was an asperger's or adhd issue there is so much crossover.

[ilovedogs]

Hi dmc and thanks for posting, tho I am so sorry to hear of what your son suffered from the neurofeedback

 

i have posted here a number of times in the past on it being something people need to be very cautious of after hearing some negative reports about it related to TS and also for kids who tic from other issues.

 

so where I am do sympathize with you re your son, I am thankful that you posted your experience to reinforce that need for caution!

 

Biofeedback is very different, and my son has had much benefit from that.

Cheri, would biofeedback be good for attention issues? Ds is getting to the point where I have to stand over him to get him to do his work and constantly cue him to get it done. Otherwise, he'd be staring out the window or just staring at the paper thinking about who knows what! It's driving me crazy!

[Chemar]

Hi Bonnie

 

biofeedback is used more for health related stuff and I havent heard of it being used for ADD

 

have you tried the gingko biloba? it really had a very noted positive effect for my son, along with the increased omega 3. If he can take Borage Oil that really does have very interesting studies associated re ADD in the UK

 

also, strange as this may seem, my son has always had better attention for his work when he has music on in the background than in a silent room

[ilovedogs]

Hi Bonnie

 

biofeedback is used more for health related stuff and I havent heard of it being used for ADD

 

have you tried the gingko biloba? it really had a very noted positive effect for my son, along with the increased omega 3. If he can take Borage Oil that really does have very interesting studies associated re ADD in the UK

 

also, strange as this may seem, my son has always had better attention for his work when he has music on in the background than in a silent room

Funny you should mention the music thing. My son just mentioned today that he felt he worked better with music on. I have a few classical CD's but I'm not sure that Led Zeppelin or ColdPlay would be good background music, LOL!

[Chemar]

honest Bonnie I would let him have whatever music helps him lol nomatter how "intrusive" it may sound