Nervous ticks in children

[TheIncredibles!]

Well we made it through the 48 hour viedo eeg. I got the news Friday. Mostly good!!!!

#1 the tics are not related to the abnormal Eeg. He did not see any spikes when he was ticing. (This still concerns me a bit because he was not REALLY twitching and groaning like he does on a bad day here. It was very very subtle and mild but I will take what we got)

#2 He does have as the Doctor said "A tendancy to have seizures". This is because on day two after we sleep deprived, during the hyperventilation test he did clearly have a petit mal seizure. I saw it, the nurse saw it too. It was VERY similiar to what he does when he is twitching badly but he did "space out" briefly during this one which he does not seem to do normally.

We declined treatment for now for the tics and the Neuro said he does not feel we need to treat him for seizures as the only one he had was forced out of him. (He did not have any seizures during the strobe testing or the hyperventilation test the day before we sleep deprived)

Follow up with an in office eeg in October and he will repeat the video eeg depending on what he sees there. He said there is a small chance that the "tendancy" to have seizures could progress, but he feels it is unlikely. He mentioned that 5% of the population has abnormal eeg's and have no effects from that.

Thanks guys

 

[Jerseylicious]

Well we made it through the 48 hour viedo eeg. I got the news Friday. Mostly good!!!!

Well that really is great news! It definitely could've been worse!! Whew! As we all have said before, sometimes tics are hard to deal with, and we hate seeing our children with ANYTHING 'wrong' with them, but compared to what some parents are going through, we have it pretty good. Glad to hear the good news!

 

[mommyamber2]

My 8 year old girl has recently developed the snorting too....so i was doing some google reasearch on it...then your post from a few years ago came up...and when I read about the big mouth opening, stretching, wide mouth thing...my jaw dropped. She has done this for the past year herself, and has stopped a couple months ago..but then, the snorting started...now we are wondering what to do ourselves.....please please reply and share what the end result for you was...you are the first person that i have came across who is experiencing the exact same thing.....thank you!

Amber, in WV

 

[GinnyEmma]

My bff's son developed several tics, facial and vocal, and they discovered he had lead poisoning. They never found out where he was exposed, but following treatment the tics went away. The treatment took awhile, though.

 

[dimimi]

My oldest son used to have a blinking tic when he was young (from about 4 to 8) It went away...whew. We were told to ignore it and for us it worked.

 

[ezm]

Hello. Firstly this was a wonderful thread to find. It's nice to know we are not alone.
So, I have a 6yo son that has been exhibiting tics since he was about 3 1/2. Now I don't know if the event of having twin brothers at that time set the tics off but his first tic was a gesture of getting the hair out of his face (like throwing your head back to get the hair out of your eye). He had bangs so we cut them short and that actually seemed to help. However after that we got the grimacing, then the throat clearing and now we have snorting. He still clears his throat but not very often and he's been doing some of the breathing thing as well but to a smaller degree (so far). We do our best to ignore it but I'll be the first to admit that my best could be a lot better. The advice to present the tics as something that is not a big deal and to even teach him to briefly explain them to others who may not ignore them is what I believe to be great advice and we will have to work on this.
Now from what I've learned (here and other sites), anxiety and/or excitement makes it worse and he certainly gets anxious about things but he has a lot of friends and is quite outgoing so I don't believe he has any anxiety about his school, or friends and in fact he deals with new situations and people very well. Nevertheless, he used to like to do all the extracurricular activities we had him in (swimming, basketball, soccer, T-ball, karate, and gymnastics (not all the same time of course)) but now it's a struggle to get him to do any of them. He seems to have anxiety about doing too much and complaining he is tired and wants to rest after school (but of course he comes home and proceeds to run around with his bothers for hours). At the moment he is only doing swimming but my wife and I are working with getting him involved in at least one other activity that he can do. The perplexing this is he visually would enjoy every one of the activities as he was doing them. We are trying not to be overly pushy but also feel that we need to nudge him so that he continues to be involved. The problem is of course that any nudging at all can of course cause him anxiety. As a parent this is a tough call and I'll take any advice anybody has.
Another thing I want to point out that we've tried is that about a year ago we took him to see a Clinical Social Worker. This person came highly recommended by one of our twin's physical therapists who we love and trust. He specializes in children and among other things Tourettes and tic disorders (web.mac.com/benpomerantz/Site/Healing_Strategies.htm). Now at the time he was very frank with us and warned us that our boy (5 at the time) was still too young to really put the techniques he uses to practice. I got a really good impression from him and while I didn't actually contact any references he claims to have been able to eliminate or severely mitigate most of the tics he has come across in kids and teens. I think what I also respected is that he didn't just want our money and when it was obvious after a few sessions that our son was indeed too young to really employ the techniques, we mutually decided to not continue the sessions but stay in contact and revisit with him when our boy got a bit older. So now that it is a year later I think we are going to put a call into him. He may still be too young but he's matured a lot over the last year so we'll see. We're not the kind of parents that jump into meds right away unless it becomes a much bigger problem.
After re-reading my post I'm not sure if I'm actually asking a question. I think I'm just getting more information out there for people and would appreciate any comments or advice that others who have gone through this might have.
Actually I do have one specific question in that many have said that transient tic disorder won't last longer than a year and if it does it would most likely be diagnosed as a chronic tic disorder or Tourettes but what I'm unclear about is if we're talking about a specific tic or all of them as a whole. As I stated he's had a tic since he was 3 1/2 however no specific tic has lasted more than a year. With the exception of this last week when he's been snorting and doing a bit of the throat clearing and a bit of the breathing, the tics have always been in succession.
Ok I think I'm done now. Thanks for reading.
-ezm-

 

[TaraPA]

I can't answer your questions as I'm in no way a medical professional (although I play one on The DIS LOL!!)...I was told if they have more than one tic (doesn't have to be at the same time) & at least 1 is verbal - even if there are months in between the tics, it's tourettes. Our neuro doc gave us a list of what are considered tics & man did it open my eyes! Even some very litle things (things I've done myself) can be considered a tic. Cracking your knuckles for example. I've done that since 4th grade (and am 40-something now!) I don't have the list but maybe you could find it online.

Many kids with TTD or TS also have other anxiety-related issues like you describe. While DS14 has not actually been diagnosed with anxiety or OCD, I fully suspect he has them. My mother & I both have been diagnosed with OCD disorders, and they are highly hereditary.

I think you're doing a great job! Come here to talk, ask, vent - any time, we all know what you're dealing with, and it can be difficult, frustrating & confusing! The only advice I have for you after dealing with this for 10 years is have patience. I know, easier said than done. DS14's tics HAVE calmed down over the yers, but they're not gone. Many kids outgrow them, so I'm hoping with every year that passes it becomes less & less.

 

[sukhakuli]

Well we made it through the 48 hour viedo eeg. I got the news Friday. Mostly good!!!!

#1 the tics are not related to the abnormal Eeg. He did not see any spikes when he was ticing. (This still concerns me a bit because he was not REALLY twitching and groaning like he does on a bad day here. It was very very subtle and mild but I will take what we got)

#2 He does have as the Doctor said "A tendancy to have seizures". This is because on day two after we sleep deprived, during the hyperventilation test he did clearly have a petit mal seizure. I saw it, the nurse saw it too. It was VERY similiar to what he does when he is twitching badly but he did "space out" briefly during this one which he does not seem to do normally.

We declined treatment for now for the tics and the Neuro said he does not feel we need to treat him for seizures as the only one he had was forced out of him. (He did not have any seizures during the strobe testing or the hyperventilation test the day before we sleep deprived)

Follow up with an in office eeg in October and he will repeat the video eeg depending on what he sees there. He said there is a small chance that the "tendancy" to have seizures could progress, but he feels it is unlikely. He mentioned that 5% of the population has abnormal eeg's and have no effects from that.

Thanks guys

My son has a tic disorder, too. The neuro and neuro psych said they think it is TS. He has other behavioral, learning, and social problems as well. So they wanted to do an EEG, and they did the short screening one yesterday. He was fine during the flashing lights, but he acted really weird during the breathing section. He kept saying that he didn't feel good, that he felt funny, and then he started rolling back and forth on the bed. Then he stopped and stared for a few seconds and was not responsive. He did this 2 or 3 times during the breathing section. I've never seen him do anything like that before. The technician is not allowed to say anything about diagnosis, but when he started rolling she said "here we go" and then she said "this is what we're looking for" and "we got some great info there" And I'm obsessing about what it all means. We should find out today or tomorrow...

So, if it was abnormal, the next step is 48 hours in the hospital with no sleep? He will really flip out. Big time.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

My son has a tic disorder, too. The neuro and neuro psych said they think it is TS. He has other behavioral, learning, and social problems as well. So they wanted to do an EEG, and they did the short screening one yesterday. He was fine during the flashing lights, but he acted really weird during the breathing section. He kept saying that he didn't feel good, that he felt funny, and then he started rolling back and forth on the bed. Then he stopped and stared for a few seconds and was not responsive. He did this 2 or 3 times during the breathing section. I've never seen him do anything like that before. The technician is not allowed to say anything about diagnosis, but when he started rolling she said "here we go" and then she said "this is what we're looking for" and "we got some great info there" And I'm obsessing about what it all means. We should find out today or tomorrow...

So, if it was abnormal, the next step is 48 hours in the hospital with no sleep? He will really flip out. Big time.

All of my son's (8 yo) EEg's are abnormal.

It is not 48 hours in the hospital with no sleep. It is 48 hours of constant eeg with video. They may sleep deprive in there - meaning make you keep him up late - but you definitely do sleep.

My son has petit mal seizures during the HV portion of the EEG. We have had 2 in office EEG's (last one last week) and did the 48 hr one in May. He has "persistent left hemispheric spikes" so we're going for an MRI as soon as it is approved. My neuro is in the office when it is done and he reviews the EEG immediately after then we have our follow up then. It means I am there for about 2 hours but it beats the heck of having to wait or go back and forth.

The seizing during the EEG is of little concern to our ped neuro. He said that he does not feel my son necessarily has a seizure disorder - just refers to it as a "tendency to have seizures" since it ONLY happens when it's "forced" out. Even then he says it is not an issue and to not be concerned because HV and heavy breathing like when exercising is not handled the same way by the body etc.

My son is not medicated for any of this as it is so far not necessary. Not for health reasons, not for social yet either.

 

[sukhakuli]

Thanks for the post, that's helpful. My son's neuro usually does them at his office, but he felt that ds needed a more experienced staff member with him. He has a lot of issues with people, and needs a lot of extra help. They have someone they send their more difficult EEG's to. We had it yesterday afternoon, and they are hand delivering the tape today.

I never suspected he could have a seizure disorder, but we have been really focused on his other issues. He moves constantly, and has a lot of bizarre movements, so maybe it could be a seizure and I just couldn't tell.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Wouldn't hurt to call the DR.

Just a question - I am sure you would have mentioned it but just in case- is he on any ADD/ADHD meds? Those can cause tics in children.

My son has tics that seem to have been caused by Concerta, though his doctor disagrees with my opinion on this. He has assorted cognitive disorders though and apparently tics are common for kids like him. His tics are usually mild, but they are triggered by stress. He's relatively tic-free in the summer, but they come back with a vengeance a couple weeks before school starts. I'd like to add my experience to the others here: tics are only a big deal if you make them, I've found that if I ignore them most other people will too. Ignoring them also seems to help my son. If you call attention to his tics they get so much worse. OP, your son should be evaluated by a doctor, but try not to worry about it too much. Many kids grow out of it, and those that don't learn to live with their tics, even thrive with them. I was worried that my son would be teased about his tics, but that really hasn't been the case.

 

[Sabeking]

My DD had tics beginning in second grade. It started out with hand clenching, then eye tics and lastly throat clearing. This went on for almost a year. I took her to a holistic doctor. He told me it was caused by a sensitivity to MSG. We went through her diet with a fine tooth comb and within three days the tics were totally gone. I could not believe all the ingredients that are another word for MSG!

Eta: ok just noticed this is a very old thread.

 

[MamaLema]

DS is 11. He started having tics a few years back. For 1 whole year, he bit his nails. Then for 2 years he couldn't stop licking his lips. He looked so awful like a clown with makeup. I think we made it worse by telling him to stop constantly. We tried very hard to ignore it and it went away...and moved on to 1 year of heavy eye blinking....that has gone away and now it is being replaced by wiping nose constantly with his shirt.

I find ignoring it has made the situation better. He doesn't do it as often. For example, I only notice him wiping his nose a few times a day.
So happy you started this thread OP. Knowing there are others dealing with this makes me feel better.

 

[DisneyJules]

My dad has a few ticks and was diagnosed with tourettes as a child. I know when most people think of tourettes, they think of people shouting inappropriate things, but there are other forms. Often these ticks are a way of coping with stress and anxiety that's going on in ones life. Maybe the stresses of starting school? I had a couple similar ticks when I was in elementary school. They didn't last very long but were probably linked to a stress school experience. My dad still sniffles and clears his throat but I'm SO used to hearing it that I don't even notice anymore.

 

[leebee]

Zombie or not, this is a very interesting informative thread. Several years ago, I worked in a 3rd grade classroom where there was a boy who would constantly hum. It was very low-level, but noticeable. He was a smart, sociable kid, but he had this humming habit. The teacher was always yelling at him about it- sometimes gently, sometimes in frustration. It certainly was distracting- even the other students would chide him. Thanks to this zombie thread, I now wonder if perhaps he had an undiagnosed tic. I honestly never would have considered humming to be a tic... but now I'll remember this and hopefully be more aware if I have another student with this kind of issue. Thanks for sharing your stories!

 

[holycow]

I find this so interesting. I did not read the whole thread I will admit but I did hear the same thing on another board I was on.
You need to check and see if your child had STREP. Tics can be caused by P.A.N.D.A.S. I've found that when my son starts doing it. He has strep. It can be frightening.

 

[holycow]

I haven't read the whole thread but I wanted to add you should have your child check for STREP. They may have P.A.N.D.A.S. Here is the wiki definition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PANDAS

I was on another board where a woman had never heard of this but her daughter was exhibiting the same behavior. A tic started. Everyone on the board told her what type of Dr. to go to.
Her own Dr. was clueless. Anyway the child did have this and is being treated and her tics are almost gone. It was truly an amazing story. That is the route I would take.

 

[Stressed mother]

Hoping that although it is already 2019, someone has feedback on the children with tics and how they have come along with the tics as well as socially over the years? I have a 3 and half year old daughter who blinks excessively , pulls her mouthed as if lips dry and makes a throat clearing sound. I am heartbroken for her and cry terribly when alone over this

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd18’s friend has Tourette’s, medication did help but she still tics.

 

[Stressed mother]

Dd18’s friend has Tourette’s, medication did help but she still tics.