difficult child is has tic again ...

[shellyd67]

difficult child has had tics for many years but usually only slight.

Each time he changed medications or had a medication increase he would begin to tic.

At the end of a long hard school year he began to have severe shoulder and head tics.

We addressed this with his psychiatrist and he chalked it up to stress and some anxiety.

School has been out for several weeks and we decided to take difficult child off his medications to see if tics subsided but they have not. He will go without tic for a week or two and then tic for a straight week.

It is so hard to watch. husband and I do not make any comments and have not made him aware how severe they are.

Some of his friends have made comments and he tells them he has a headache and tries to hold onto the back of his head and neck to stop them.

This makes me so sad that he has to deal with this on top of everything else the poor kid has on his plate.

I would have thought with all the school pressures being off his back he would have mellowed out some.

I realize he has no control and I am really beginning to worry ...

He is scheduled 8/3 for his next office visit but I may see if I can speed things up.

Anyone have any advice?

 

[welcometowitsend]

I think that your difficult child is finding a good way to cover his tics which is part of the battle.

I also wonder if he needs a bit more time to get through this tic episode. Sometimes we can hold ourselves together while we are under a lot of stress and then when the stress is gone we fall apart. I know that I get sick once I am done with a stressful time in my life. It's like my body knows it's ok to let things go after holding it together for so long.

It doesn't sound like it is medication related. Maybe some relaxation techniques would work? Deep breathing? My son had pretty severe tics for a while when he was younger and they subsided once he hit his teen years - although I'll still see them when he is stressed out. I never tried to get my son to stop ticking (it's hard, I have Tourette's too, so I know) but I did try to help him figure out ways to tic and be able to hide it when he was out in public.

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, that's so sad. Hugs to him!
I have no advice. Others here who have been through that will show up to help.
I'm must sending support.

 

[DDD]

I'm sorry. My only experience has included the use of Tenex to control tics that resulted from stimulant medications. For us it did wonders but titration is required at onset and also if quitting the medication. He sounds like a bright boy and quick on his feet, too. Hugs DDD

 

[shellyd67]

Thanks everyone.

The tics have subsided somewhat. They are not as rapid and frequent as they were.

I have to mention that difficult child has been an absolute dream since being off his medications.

He is pleasant, happy, very helpful and just an all around pleasure to be around.

I am not sure if this has to do with school being out for the summer or the medications.

Big question mark there ...