Nervous Tics in Son

My husband was moved around a lot as a kid back and forth from parent to parent. He developed a very noticable tic. He said it started when he was about 10 and still had it at 22. He was having some neck problems so he started Physical Therapy. They did Cervical traction, ultrasound, massage and strengthening excercises and a month after his therapy his pain went away as well as his tic. I work at a PT clinic and the therapist here says a lot of people tell her that it helps with that.

When I read your post I immediately thought of my nephew. He started having tics around age 8 and we all thought it was strange but tried not to call too much attention to it. It was pretty obvious, he did this head-bobbing thing, and it lasted for quite a while but he is twelve now and doesn't have the problem anymore. There was nothing wrong with him, his doctor just told my sister-in-law that he was putting a lot of stress on himself (he is the oldest of 4) and that he is a very sensitive kid, so that was his way of working it out. I wouldn't worry too much about it, it should go away on it's own.

My husband and I both have had Tourette Syndrome since we were 5 yrs old, and our almost 4 yr old son is showing signs of it as well. Your son's tics could very well be the beginning of TS. It wouldn't hurt to talk to a pediatrician about it, and if he/she thinks it may be TS, then he would probably benefit from seeing a neurologist. Stresses definitely increase the tics, so once he settles in, you may notice them decreasing substantially. Good luck. If it is TS, I would recommend a support group or talking to other parents to find appropriate treatment. I was never medicated, and we will likely not medicate our son unless his tics become severe.

You should talk to your pediatrician. Yes, tics can be seen in Tourette's but tics can be stand alone problems or related to stress. You don't have to draw attention to but should talk to your doc. Good luck.

My 7 yr odl was just diagnosed with this- well not diagnosed but called features of. we see his ped, neuro/psych and neurologist. hes not on meds yet and hopes he doesnt have to. but there are a lot of other issues that goes a long with tourettes. my son also has some learning issues and very low self esteem. so I would defiantely recommend talking to someone. I learned these tics can worsen during the teen years but do tend to go away early adulthood. Good Luck!

Hi J....First off, it never hurts to talk to your doctor. That's what they are there for. Secondly, my oldest son, who is now 23, has had nervous tics for as long as I can remember. I, too, am probably the only one who notices. He had wonderful friends in high school and is now getting ready to graduate from college and go on to grad school. It has not had an adverse affect on him, just the way he handles stress. If stress is an issue for your son, then maybe finding a way for him to redirect that, such as getting him involved in some form of martial arts...that helped my son tremendously to calm down and is a great stress reliever!

J.,
My daughter developed ticks and we took her to see a Neurologist that put her on meds that really has helped. She got then a year and a half ago. She is on Clonadine. What do the ticks look like? My daughters head would jerk back and her shoulders would jerk up. It was noticable to me first and then her friends started noticing at school. she hardly has them now. But, she was diagnosed with a tick disorder and the meds really helped. let me know if I can help any more.
S. Bailey CLD
aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

My younger brother had developed a tick after we moved. Sometimes it is due to stress. After taking him to several doctors, they had all pretty much decided that he would out-grow it. He does occasionally shake his head, but nothing like when he was young, so he did pretty much out-grow it. You can have it checked out, but it may just be nothing.