How We Reduced our Daughter’s Tics
I have a six-year-old daughter Maria who started having tics at the age of 4. She had just finished taking antibiotics for strep, and two weeks later started with eye flutters. I suspected right away that she had Tourette syndrome (TS) because her father also has this condition. This was helpful because he knew firsthand what foods to avoid due to his own observations and experience. He also knew that tics could be triggered by anxiety and fatigue, being sick with a viral or bacterial infection, and with seasonal allergies or growth development.
The foods that we have had her avoid and seen positive results with since her symptoms started have been: Corn, corn syrup, modified cornstarch, food colorings, yellow cheeses, artificial flavorings, caramel coloring, and enriched flour. I suggest if you use flour, use unbleached flour, rice flour or oat flour.
Fortunately, natural alternatives to these types of food can be found at a local health food store or better grocery stores. Be careful when purchasing meat as they use red dyes to make meats look fresher. If you have to by this type of meat, as I am not rich and sometimes do, I cook the meat well to hopefully eliminate the additive. Also, when using cheeses we use mozarella and all white cheeses, if necessary. I know too much dairy is not good for her but we eat pizza sometimes!
One thing I give her has helped tremendously: It is a B complex supplement that comes in powder form. I give it to her once in the morning and once in the evening. B’s are a natural sedative and help calm her. I refuse to give her a prescription drug because I want to preserve her liver and kidneys for adulthood.
Thank you for having information available; having people like you out there helping others is a gift from God. I hope some of what I have written helps someone else out there with TS.
Name was withheld at family request; photo is a stock image
