Healing My Little Sister’s Tic Disorder

Mengnan Sun

I’d like to share how my family healed my young sister’s tic disorder. Symptoms started when Leyue was three years old, and I was thirteen. We were living in China, and after an eye infection had been treated, she started blinking her eyes very rapidly in an awkward way. We were worried about this sudden change and would ask her to stop doing it. But it seemed the more often we asked, the more she did it, as if being reminded made it worse. After several weeks, our family’s concern grew into anxiety. When the condition did not improve after two months, she saw a doctor who diagnosed a mild tic disorder.

We were told there was no cure, but we should keep her at home and observe the symptoms. Unless the tics became severe, the doctor did not want to offer any medication due to potential side-effects. I recall how worried my parents were, and they wondered if the tics would ever go away. During the next two years, additional symptoms developed.

Sometimes Leyue would open her mouth repeatedly or make facial gestures, twitch her nose, clear her throat, or shrug her shoulders. These tics would come and go, but every time they developed, it was heart-breaking for my mom and dad.

At first, we didn’t notice anything that seemed to make the tics worse. But then my sister enjoyed a large amount of ice cream for two days in a row, something she rarely did. This caused her to have difficulty breathing; she could inhale easily but couldn’t exhale smoothly, holding her breath until her face turned red before finally exhaling. Soon after this, she also started showing signs of ADHD. She made restless movements and had difficulty focusing at school. Tics were worse. Watching Leyue struggle with these unexplained symptoms was taking a toll on the family. We often received strange looks from others when we took her out, and we felt a mixture of pain and embarrassment each time someone asked, “What’s wrong with her?”

We never dreamed these issues would be the cause

Symptoms worsened to such a degree that my mom worried about Leyue’s future social life, and my dad was concerned she might not be able to live independently if they didn’t find some answers. They spent countless nights searching for safe treatments online. At about this time, we moved to California.

While searching for answers, my parents were surprised to find the books Natural Treatment for Tics & Tourette’s: A Patient and Family Guide, and later, Tourette Syndrome: Stop Your Tics by Learning What Triggers Them. These resources were very helpful because they highlighted the connection between diet, the environment, and allergy for tics and ADHD.

After reading about the experiences of other families and how natural treatments alleviated symptoms, my parents decided to try this approach. Leyue had allergy testing and trace element lab testing (measures levels of minerals in the body) completed, and a food intolerance test. When the results came back, we learned that the trace element levels were normal, but she had multiple food sensitivities and an allergy to dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and cream. (Now we understood the reaction to ice cream.) My parents began to control Leyue’s diet right away, and tried their best to have her avoid foods with dairy.

The result of the change in her diet was huge—her tics were much more stable. We finally felt like we had some control over what was happening. I was now in high school and could help in this effort. We started to record what my sister ate and logged her tic symptoms.

Through trial and error, my parents noticed that in addition to foods with dairy products, she couldn’t eat chocolate, sugary foods, snacks with food coloring, or drinks like milk tea and Coke. In addition to these types of treats, some other food sensitivities became obvious when we examined the log. Usually, within a day after eating these foods, my sister would show more tics. We also found that time on electric devices, stress, and excitement would trigger her tics.

Although the feeling of having more control over the tics and ADHD was a relief for our family, the realization that so many things could trigger her symptoms alerted them to the need to be alert about her environment. Some triggers we identified included illness/infections, polluted air, and pollen.

Together, my parents and I helped my sister avoid certain foods and reduce her screen time. We increased her outdoor activities and worked hard to minimize stress and emotional swings for her. Every day was a battle against the unknown, but we were willing to do whatever it took to help her. Her symptoms gradually started to disappear. Worried that avoiding certain foods might lead to nutritional deficiencies, my parents supplemented the diet with various nutrients, including children’s multivitamins, vitamin C, B6, B12, D3, NAC (N-acetylcysteine ), omega-3, magnesium, and probiotics that had been formulated for people with allergic constitutions. They monitored her health carefully, always worried that they might miss something crucial.

Although Leyue’s symptoms have improved tremendously, if she eats a significant amount of something she is sensitive to, it can trigger a tic flare. There was one instance where eating twenty to thirty fresh cherries caused some tics to reappear temporarily. We had no idea she had an allergy or sensitivity to cherries! Each relapse reminded my parents that this battle wasn’t over.

My sister is almost eight years old and has been virtually tic-free for nearly a year. She continues to take children’s multivitamins daily, while other supplements are taken every few days. Our whole family is very relieved that Leyue can now happily attend school like other children, but the shadow of those years of life-altering tics still lingers in my parents’ minds. They are grateful for the progress she’s made, but they know they must remain vigilant, ready to support her through any challenges that may come.