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Tics - how do you describe them or how do your kids descirbe them?


kcdc3

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My daughter started making "sounds" after her last strep infection. I have had differing opinions from doctors as to whether or not they are tics or OCD. My pediatrician says they are tics, my dd's specialists thinks they are OCD related. When asking my dd when she makes these "sounds" why she does them she says that she has an "urge to do them and I feel better once I do them". She does not do them to prevent something from happening (which I would think would be more OCD). However, she can control the urge if she wants to -but she says she "doesn't feel right unless she does it". Any opinions from you guys - do you think this sounds like tics to you?

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yes, what she is describing is how it works. when she says she feels better, the premise is that she is satisfying the urge, but the urge does not always alleviate with just one sound or tic, the feeling keeps coming back and back, that's why the repetitive tics. As far as being able to control it, that is so, for its not an automatic thing that they can't control, but controlling it or holding it in, builds up the urge or tension, and eventually they'll want to let it out.

 

My feeling is that as they get older, they tend to have more control, where it doesn't bother them as much if they have to hold it for a bit. also, they can get a little savy about 'masking' them, in other words doing it in a way that makes it look like it is a natural movement or sound.

 

When this sound started after the last infection, was she treated with abx, or is she on them already, sorry, don't recall, ... how long ago was that?

 

Faith

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yes, what she is describing is how it works. when she says she feels better, the premise is that she is satisfying the urge, but the urge does not always alleviate with just one sound or tic, the feeling keeps coming back and back, that's why the repetitive tics. As far as being able to control it, that is so, for its not an automatic thing that they can't control, but controlling it or holding it in, builds up the urge or tension, and eventually they'll want to let it out.

 

My feeling is that as they get older, they tend to have more control, where it doesn't bother them as much if they have to hold it for a bit. also, they can get a little savy about 'masking' them, in other words doing it in a way that makes it look like it is a natural movement or sound.

 

When this sound started after the last infection, was she treated with abx, or is she on them already, sorry, don't recall, ... how long ago was that?

 

Faith

 

Yes, she was treated with 30 days of Amoxicillian when she came down with that strep infection. The tics came on about 8 days or so into the treatment, however, that is the time that her brother and sister both came down with strep. The tics stayed with her until we started Zith in December - they went away again for a little while, then came back slightly. Now they are back pretty strong and we are still on Zith. I am linking the increases to viruses. When they came back slightly, I had a virus. When they came back pretty strong, she had a virus that was then passed around the whole family. They were worse while the virus was hanging around - I have noticed that they are not quite as bad right now, but worse than in December (pre-virus).

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My son will be 13 in May and he can control his tics in school. BUT when he's in a quiet class he'll get a little anxious and that's when his work is affected. His tics and OCD came on suddenly in Sept '09. He has described to me that the vocal tic he does is related to something he's repeating in his head. So it's a word he's repeating and it eventually comes out as a vocal tic. It's controlled at school but when he's at home he let's loose with the vocal tics and OCD. At least he jokes about it. He said his OCD keeps him from cleaning his room. :lol:

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I have a question about tics. My daughters main symptoms have been anxiety (she's 19) but she does do this throat clearing thing. She does or did have excessive mucus (I have seen it) that seems to fill her up. She constantly is making this horrible sound in order to get this up (her fear is it will go to her stomach and then make her stomach hurt, we have a lot of gi symptoms as well)this sound is repeated three or four times usually in a row till she feels she has it all. Then she may not do it for awhile seems to be in the evening more, but is repeated every day. When I ask her about it if it is habit or does she think a tic she says no its just the mucus but I wonder about it...sometimes there is a little noise at the end of it (sorry so hard to describe) like a little cluck, like your tongue clicking the top of the roof of your mouth. Part of me wonders if she is feeling just normal secretions but it has become a habit because she is worried about her stomach. any ideas?

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Well, if she is doing that to prevent something from happening (whether it is something that could actually happen or not), then I would think it might be more OCD related? Does she have any other OCD symptoms?

My pediatrician asked my dd why she did the sounds. She said to him that she felt like she needed to do them because she felt better afterwards. My pediatrician said that is the way that most kids describe tics, therefore, he felt like her sounds were tics. So each time I would hear a new sound, I would ask her why she was doing that. Most of the time, it's the same expalantion - I just feel better if I do it. There have been occasions where she will say "If I don't do that sound, I will get fat" or whatever she is obsessed about. (She has major OCD/anxiety/anorexia/body dysm. ) I think at those times, the sounds may just be OCD related. I posted here because my specialist told me he thought all the sounds were OCD related, but reading the replies here it sure sounds like my ped was right.

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My ds can verbalize with his throat clearing tic that he doesn't know why he does it.. it's not to clear something from his throat.. he doesn't even know he blinks his eyes funny....

 

He is always making noises but it seems like it's intentional... he turns it into playing.. I am wondering if it's something he does.. he has no idea why so he than makes it into silly.. if that makes sense..

 

He has always been big on hand clapping which makes me crazy.. wonder if that is something related to this whole thing?? He does it when he is frustrated though... so it doesn't seem to be... if his sister bugs him he claps his hands loud and fast like it's going to make her disappear ;)

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she doesn't have any other outward sounds or movements that I see other than the noise I described. she did just tell me the other day that she notices when the anxiety is high she walks on the side of her foot...she is just really beginning to share things with me, so much of what she held inside I didn't know..this board has been very helpful..thanks to all who post.

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My son has the eye tic (blink and roll) and the throat clearing, which happens only at night. He uses the excuse it's mucus, but I've come to realization that it is a tic. I just let him grab a cough drop and feel better about himself. He doesn't want to have tics and will pull out any excuse. There's something in my eye is the most common one....

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My son is 12, will be 13 in March and he takes spells where he walks on the sides of his feet too. He has a lot of awkward movement, (motor skill problems). But I just had to buy him a new pair of shoes because he had been walking on the sides of his feet and busted the seem out of one of them.

 

 

 

she doesn't have any other outward sounds or movements that I see other than the noise I described. she did just tell me the other day that she notices when the anxiety is high she walks on the side of her foot...she is just really beginning to share things with me, so much of what she held inside I didn't know..this board has been very helpful..thanks to all who post.
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My son has the eye tic (blink and roll) and the throat clearing, which happens only at night. He uses the excuse it's mucus, but I've come to realization that it is a tic. I just let him grab a cough drop and feel better about himself. He doesn't want to have tics and will pull out any excuse. There's something in my eye is the most common one....

 

Night time seems to be key too for my daughter although I do hear it some during the day it seems to increase at night.

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