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"NO SCREENS" WEEK IS OVER


CARMON

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WE ACTUALLY DID IT!! I DID NOT SEE ANY REAL IMPROVEMENT IN MY SON'S TICS, BUT COULD THIS BE BECAUSE I WAS SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH HIM THAT I SAW EVERY LITTLE TIC HE HAD? IT DID HELP ME TO SEE WHEN HIS TICS GOT ALOT WORSE; MAINLY AFTER MEALS, SWIMMING, AND GETTING TOO HOT. EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT GET THE RESULT WE WANTED, I AM STILL VERY HAPPY THAT WE TRIED IT. I ENJOYED SPENDING THE TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE ALOT LESS TV WATCHING IN MY HOME. AND WE WILL DO ANOTHER "NO SCREENS" WEEK IN THE FUTURE JUST TO BE SURE THERE IS NO CONNECTION.

 

I AM GOING TO TRY THE FEINGOLD DIET ONCE WE GET BACK FROM VACATION BECAUSE I HAVE NOTICED THAT ARTIFICIAL COLORS AND FLAVORS ARE HAVING A BIG IMPACT ON HIM (MY MOM GAVE HIM A RED AND PURPLE POPSICLE AND HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS CONSTANLY FOR HOURS). WE WILL NOT BE MAKING THAT MISTAKE AGAIN. WE ARE TRYING TO DO ONE THING AT A TIME TO SEE WHAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT I WANT TO TRY IT ALL NOW.

 

CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF IT HURTS MY SON OR IF HE GETS TIRED FROM DOING HIS TICS SO OFTEN? THE VOCAL TICS DO NOT UPSET ME AS MUCH AS SEEING HIM TENSE UP AND SHRUG HIS SHOULDERS AND CLENCH HIS HANDS. HIS LITTLE BODY MUST BE TIRED.

 

THANKS,

CARMON

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Hi Carmon,

 

Thanks so much for letting us know your results, you know I think it is helpful for everyone to know. Though I am sorry that this didn't offer any improvement for your son, but at least now you won't 'worry' about him watching TV etc on days that you aren't able to spend the time with him!

 

My son never said that tics hurt (except one that did for a few days), however, he said he feels so much more comfortable without them.

 

Good luck with your next step, and congrats on being so observant to notice changes during that week.

 

Claire

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Guest Guest_Carol

Hi Carmon,

 

I'm 19 with ts and have had ts since 5 years old. I would think that if his tics are hurting him or if there bothering him too much he would let you know. When I was younger most of my tics did hurt. I had those same tics and did them constantly. I told my parents and complained about them hurting. Now that my tics aren't so severe sometimes they are painful and sometimes they aren't.

 

Carol

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Hi Carmon, In my experience, most tics don't hurt, although tensing the same muscle over and over can eventually make that muscle sore.

 

Glad to hear you're going to try the FG program. If your son responds like my daughters did, you'll be amazed and thrilled with the results.

 

Good luck. Jeff

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hi ya Claire,

 

Thank you for the continued work letting other know that TV can be a trigger. I thought I would post some more about our experience with TV. Without a doubt this was a trigger for Kurt. As we have made dietary changes and added supplements his tolerance for TV has increased. Funny thing is he sort of limits himself and given a choice he would rather play outside, color etc. than play the PS2 etc.

 

Why I am posting is because of my 5 year old (almost 6 year old). Now this kid could be on his gameboy or PS2 24 hours a day. I limit him tons but if he has been on it too much he becomes very defiant, extremely grumpy and his personality is completely altered and he just seems "angry". Matt has absolutely no symptoms of TS, ADD or anything. I just thought it was interesting that I have made this connection with Matt because I am aware of it through all of my work I have done with Kurt. It makes me wonder just how many kids have this same reaction to gameboys etc. without their parents making the connection. If I take the gameboy etc away Matt is my happy, compliant, sensitive boy again. All I can say is that the personality change is quite startling and thanks for all of the information in the last year about TV as a trigger.

 

Take Care,

Ronna

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Hi Ronnas, and welcome back from your vacation! I read your update on Braintalk re taking a hiatus from supplements and diet and going right back to it.

 

Very interesting feedback on Gameboy.... First of all, I am just waiting for the day when I improve my son's health issues enough that he isn't so sensitive to TV. Phyl and Heather found the same reduction in TV sensitivity as you have said--in their case yeast overgrowth was a major culprit. My son's yeast levels jumped up and unfortunately, I do think this is making him more sensitive again, bummer. I read that sometimes when kids get elevated yeast, their body has a new setpoint for it and it isn't a matter of just reducing it, but continuing to monitor it--how frustrating if true!

 

 

You know, I notice the same behavioral reaction with my son with too much computer (even if it isn't setting off tics). He gets angrier and more rebellious. He gets so angry when his time was over. When he didn't watch at all we didn't have these issues.

 

To some degree, I feel it is 'addictive' to him. I know after college, I took up Space Invaders at a local hangout and would play for 2 hours straight--it was hard to stop. I actually spotted it in an entertainment center recently and tried it out. It was amazing, my adrenaline shot up and my breathing changed and I felt like I HAD to just get the next one right. It was not fun at all, just like some compulsivity. I didn't like it and just stopped completely. Of course I am an adult and can discern my feelings.

 

I remember someone whose kids had an Asperger's dx. Their kids was on the computer constantly. I always wondered whether the computer itself contributed to his fixation with it (But I never commented).

 

Of course, I am sure this doesn't apply to everyone--just like the tic trigger doesn't. But I am glad you brought this up about a behavioral reaction. I have thought about it for my son many times, but have never heard anyone else comment. It does make me wonder...!

 

Claire

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  • 2 weeks later...

My computor crashed and has been out of commission for the past 2 weeks but thank God its back.... (I didn't realize how much I depend on this thing) I don't post a lot but I read and get info. a few times a week.

 

Anyway I wanted to comment on the whole GameBoy issue. I noticed right after my son recieved his last year that it messed with his tics a bit and his attitude a lot. I have placed a 30 min. per day rule and that has made quite a difference. But when I am not on top of it and he goes longer he becomes a complete twit. Complaining about every little thing and nasty to his sister and us. His birthday just passed and of course he recieved a new gameboy game and I happened to look at the insert in the box. There printed in black and white were warnings about playing to much gameboy to the extreme of Seizures, Involuntary Movements, Vision issues, and more that I can't remember. I showed the insert to my son and it made him realize that its not just Mom being a pain in the butt about the whole gameboy thing but there are real side effects. Now that I have proof to back me up it's less of a fight when gameboy time is up....

 

Gina

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