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is this a tic?

Michele - posted on 02/19/2009 ( 9 moms have responded )

hi everybody i am so glad to find this group!someday's i feel like i'm the only one going threw this .i have a six yr old son he has TS OCD ADHD .my son has had the eye blinking throat clearing handflapping tics we have not seen any of these in about 3 months i know they can come back at any givin time.what he has been doing lately is clicking his tongue his tongue is always going in and out of his mouth.also his lips get so chapped from this i feel like i'm alway's telling him to put his tongue in his mouth.is this a tic?

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Jackie - posted on 04/28/2009

i am new to thsi site. my son satrted in 1st grade with eye blinking then that went away then it went to shoulder shrugging. the drs. kept teeling me it was a nervous tic. then in 2nd grade he would clear his throat. then at the end of second grade all three things where going on at once. the doctors and teachers said it was a behavorial problems and adhd and wante to put him on ridalin. i refused. in fifth grade my sons whole body started to tic he started to vocalize and by that i mean repeating words and phrases etc. i finally video taped him nd made the neurologist see him at his worse points because they want to get you in months later when they have gone away for awhile. as sge viewed the tape is when they finally diagnsed him. all the neds had side effects so i went searching and found an autistic diet that has been wounderful. for three years now almost no signs of ts. main thing is omega three faxiseed fish oil. no fast food the grease does something to him. very kittle sugar in his diet and absoulte no soda. i also found his grades had dropped even though he has very little symptoms. as he got older he said he find thatr if he is not on a strict schedule at school and has too much free time he cant stay organized. my son is now in cyber school with a schedule on the fridge everyday so the night before he nows what he is doing from school to sports to bed. ts kids need to have schedule from what i have read if they go astray from them the tend to struggke. my son now has straight a's again and back in his gifted classes. just thought i would share our story.

Sandee - posted on 03/16/2009

The tongue clicking tic was my daughters first. According to her doctors, it's a tic. My son, who has ADHD, constantly licks his lips in the winter and walks around with a bright pink circle around his mouth from becoming sore and dry. I bought aquaphor and he carries it around school and applies it. He slathers on Vaseline at night. It helps a lot.

Michele - posted on 03/07/2009

THANKS DANIELLE that is the same as nathan does he hasn't done it in about a week but he has been sick .thankyou for sharing this with me now i know it is a tic.

Danielle - posted on 03/07/2009

If you go to youtube there is a boy who regulary posts videos that he has made of himself skateboarding etc. One of his videos is of himself explaining why he does this same thing with his tongue - he has TS. Maybe it's the same....

If the link works it's below...if not, the name is I Have Tourette Syndome and is by a boy called boundsjb

Luella - posted on 03/06/2009

Hi, Michele;

I have a 14 and a half year old son who has Tourettes and let me assure you that ANY behaviour that your child does repeatedly like you hae described can become (or is a) tic.

The BEST way I hae found to deal with the tics is unless the tic is socially unacceptable (like the clicking would be in class) I leave it alone. I helped my son develop strategies to satisfy the intense need he felt to do these tics at unacceptable times by doing something else that would not be unacceptable. As for the chapped lips, it's going to sound like I don't care, but it's a really minor thing in the grand scheme.

Remember, these kids absolutely HAVE to do these tics and to constantly berate them for it is more damaging than helpful.

These groups saved my life when things were at their worst for me...so keep sharing and hang in...I WILL tell you that things DO get better AND you will change your expectations too!

Angie - posted on 02/22/2009

I always wondered about certain foods being a cause of the tics. Or maybe certain food dyes. Hadn't thought about that. His grandma is allergic to certain food dyes. Hmmm - that is a thought. His grades were very good up until this year. He seemed almost too smart at times. I wondered if it was due to the TS as well. This year though, not sure what is going on. It's more of a - I "forgot" to do this and "forgot" to do that. Or he rushes through things to get them done. He doesn't turn papers in or is getting tally marks in class for outbursts of talking. Luckily we live in a small town and we are friends with his teacher so we can talk to her anytime. Something else we tried was a chiropractor. Some people don't believe in them but honestly, it really did help. We are in the process of finding a new one because the on we used doesn't take the health insurance I switched to. That was one thing we did have a lot of success with. It seems that they can fix anything. It's amazing to me. Adjust something in my back and my foot feels better! What??! ;0) it's true. I would sign him up for that kids newsletter, or he can read it online if he wants. Even submit his very own story. That website is awesome. Let me know how it goes with the doc. Amazing that you could find one who has TS. Have a good week! Angie

Michele - posted on 02/22/2009

thank you angie!we were diagnosed about 4 months ago.we also found the med's affected the ts i am so glad you told me that .how is your son's grades at school?we are working with the teacher and the school our son is not up to the grd one program .it is alote of work but we.will do anything for or son.we are on the waiting list to see a doctor that deals with ts he has ts himself .he calls it leaky brakes.we found when he was on the meds he was worse. we are trying some naturual vitamins and trying to stay away from dyes .

Angie - posted on 02/21/2009

Yes - it's a tic. Our son did it too. He is 12 now. His are mostly vocal and facial now but he use to do the tongue one too. How recently was your son diagnosed? Zach was 6 when he was. His started with shoulder shrugging and just moved on from there. We don't medicate for anything. We tried some meds for the ADHD but a lot of them affect the TS so we just kind of went off of all of it and are trying to deal with a non medicated TS, OCD, ADHD child trying to study and do homework and go to school. :0) whew.....- just wanted to let you know it is a tic - or it was for our son anyway. If you have any other questions, just contact me - we have 6 years of experience with it. Also have you been to this site? - http://www.tsa-usa.org/ They have a spot for kids and a newsletter for kids as well - it's called That Darn Tic. They also sent me a bunch of information to send to school like posters, DVDs, etc. The nurse and the teachers at my son's school have been a big help. Hope you have a good day! Angie

Kimberly - posted on 02/20/2009

I don't know for sure but it sure sounds like it could be or part of the OCD. My daughter doesn't do this but has in the past licked her lips to the point of bleeding.....luckily we were able to get her to stop once she realized it hurt. Right now, besides her normal tics she started sucking or sticking her fingers in her mouth. Also, she has been telling me her stomach hurts this week but doesn't seem sick. She even vomited the other night one episode (several times) but seems ok so not sure if this is related ....stomach tic or what. She tells me her brain told her stomach to do it. I don't know sometimes....she is 5yrs old and testing us at times I think. Good luck. Hopefully, some others here will have some experience on this particular tic.