Dr. Hive --child with verbal tics

[bethben]

My dad has had verbal and sometimes facial tics on and off for years. Usually they happen after surgery (she's had 3 for cleft lip/palate) but now they have come after stress. She's doing a very very high pitch and very loud "woo". They happen from about every minute to every 30 seconds. Rarely do we get five minutes without at least 2-3. That's at her calm time. We don't bring attention to them, but they are driving the family crazy. They're to the point that she's having trouble falling asleep. I've tried vitamin therapy and cutting out sugar to calm down her neurological stress reaction and they have worked in the past but nothing is helping. She is going to public school and kids are getting annoyed also there.

 

Basically, is there anything to help these? The doctor suggested Zoloft when she was dealing with post surgery tics that eventually went away. I'm not a fan of drugs, but it's getting out of hand.

[OrganicJen]

I have a child with tourettes and there are a few treatments for it that work for some but I don't know many who benefit from medications or supplements, but other type of treatments can sometimes help. I would recommend going to a neuropsychologist or neurologist to see if it is tourettes or something else. About the effect of the tics on the family...yes it can be more annoying and painful than anyone can understand...it can feel like you are being tortured. Even though I know obviously my child can't help it and it must be worse for him, it doesn't decrease how painful it is for me to deal with too. Good luck to you and your family!

[Ottakee]

I agree with the neurologist.

 

For my son we found that Omega 3s greased his nervous system. Omega Brites or Could try Life Omega 3 Mood have very high levels of EPA.

 

Lack of sleep and allergies also made the tics much worse here.

[OrganicJen]

One thing that is common wirh Tourettes, is often its at its worst at night when in bed trying to get to sleep. One theory about this is that people suppress their tics somewhat during the day around people so they catch up with them at night when in bed.

[itsheresomewhere]

Definitely get her in with a neurologist. Also, has she had blood work very recently? There are a few specific vitamin deficiencies that can increase tics. When stressed my DN has to have certain ones increased to help his tics ( he has Tourette’s).

[Storygirl]

DS has Tourette's as well. It's actually a pretty straightforward diagnosis -- both verbal and motor tics for at least a year. You can google it. Our pediatrician sent us to a neurologist for the diagnosis. Tics do wax and wane.

 

There are a couple of medications that the neurologist said can be helpful. Clonidine can help calm the nervous system and reduce tics, and it also can help with sleep.

 

There is also a kind of therapy called habit reversal. We worked with a psychologist to learn the technique. It can help, but the person must be willing to do the exercises. My son's tics bother others around him more than they bother him, so he is not always willing.

 

All that to say that there are things that you can try. You can ask your pediatrician for a referral to a neurologist.

[klmama]

This must be very frustrating for your dc and for everyone else. FWIW, I've known kids with facial tics who improved by eating foods high in magnesium and by taking Epsom salt baths. I've also been told some people's tics improve with taurine supplements. You would want to do your own research, of course.

 

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

[dsmith]

Many kids have had success with the Feingold Diet. My son needed meds for other issues and as a side benefit they eliminate his tics unless he is very nervous. He takes a low dose of Abilify, 2 mg every other day. It's the lowest dose that is effective for him. He's older now and we gave him the option of trying to stop the meds, but he prefers being mostly tic free.

[Tanaqui]

I don't have any advice, but you have my sympathy. That sounds rough for all of you. *hugs*

 

Edited December 24, 2017 by Tanaqui

[Popsicle]

I have a son with Tourette’s. He’s now 11 and last year was definitely his worst with tics. Please take your dd to a neurologist and maybe do some research on Tourette’s. There is a wealth of information put out by the Tourette’s Syndrome Association. I felt like I could cope with the tics so much better after I learned more about the disorder. It helped me be more patient and helped me communicate his needs to others better. He was in public school for 3rd and some of 4th grade but I had to pull him out when the swearing tics started. Prior to pulling him, he had an IEP and some special training was done with the entire staff of his school and the kids as well. It helped so much. But she would need a diagnosis to get the ball rolling on having the school district support you.

 

Ds used to tic mostly when stressed. Now it’s any kind of excitement that does it. He even has a happy tic! Your daughter maybe experiencing an increase just as a natural progression of the disorder. A neurologist would help you know for sure.

 

In the meantime, good luck to you. It’s hard to watch our kiddos tic. We feel bad for them and we feel bad for ourselves!

[bethben]

I’ve seen tics of some variety for a while now. Burping was one for a while. Does skin picking count?

 

She’s our adopted child and I don’t know her family history. The thing is, I sent her to school to try to improve our relationship which has been rocky at best. Now she has these high pitched tics that actually hurt my ears. This stinks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hypatia.]

One of my children has a lot of verbal and motor tics. He also has ADHD and I know a lot of stimulant medications can worsen tics. When we finally made the decision to pursue meds (after he kept hurting himself by walking into things or falling, impulse control) I specifically requested one that could also help with tics. He's on Intuniv (long-acting guanfacine) and I've seen a reduction in both his verbal and motor tics.

[katilac]

I understand your reluctance to try medicine with a young child, and I'm not saying to try it first or without long consideration, but I think your situation is exactly medication should be considered: when the behavior is interfering with the person's life and relationships. They would likely recommend an SSRI to start, and this class of medications has been in use for a very long time, with a very good safety record.

 

Having said that, I do agree with the posters who recommend getting in with a neurologist. Nail down what you're dealing with, get more information, and take it from there. 

 

I'm not familiar with the habit reversal technique Storygirl mentioned, but it definitely sounds intriguing. I have seen friends have success with altering the environment in order to alter the habit. If flipping their hair back again and again is a tic, then cut the front of their hair shorter. 

 

I don't think that skin picking is considered a tic, because it is its own disorder, but it's frequently found together with tics. These types of behaviors are all considered to be on the OC spectrum (obsessive compulsive), and/or related to OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). 

 

I hope you find some good information. Good luck!

[Storygirl]

https://www.tourette.org/research-medical/cbit-for-patients/

 

Here is some information about the habit reversal therapy.

[Storygirl]

By the way, the idea of Tourette Syndrome can seem scary, because of the way it has been presented in the media. For example, the swearing tics do not happen in all people with TS. But if you read a little online, OP, you might be a little reassured. If you get the diagnosis, it merely names and  offers treatment options for what you are already seeing.

 

:grouphug:

[ringwoodgal]

Have you looked into phosphatidylcholine oil?