MichelleCarmen
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2003
- Messages
- 15,880
*** This turned out a lot longer than expected. . .thanks to those who make it through!***
About my son: he just turned 9 and he''s in 3rd grade.
When we lived in our last home (a year and a half back. . .we lived there for a few years then moved to a condo/townhome for one year and now are in a house again - all w/in a few miles - kids stayed in same school). . .my older son began blinking a lot. There was panic among family members that he had a tic. Rather than rushing him off to the neurologist, we took him to an allergist and skin pricks showed he has allergies to dogs and dust mites. In our home, we spent $1K on new carpeting in his room and the hall, bought special covers for his bed/pillow and I began washing all his bedding in hot water. That combined with antihistamines, the blinking pretty much stopped. It began again while we lived in the townhome and again we gave him allergy meds and it stopped. Now, the third summer, here in our current home, it began over the summer however the medications - including a nasal spray - weren''t able to entirely control this and it''s not gone away. Clearly it is partly seasonal so he must have other allergies (and I''m sure the woman who lived her before us had a dog). . .
The problem is that often parents say their child must have allergies and there can be confusion re: what is an allergy and what is a tic. Luckily we found evidence to support the blinking as symtomatic of allergies and we never proceeded to a neurologist. Now, he''s begun shaking his head back in forth in almost a spasm-like fashion and when he does it, he lifts his hands up by his neck, so the whole style of movement implies a child experiencing a moment of excitment.
He says it''s because he''s excited, but he isn''t able to control it and it comes and goes, but when it''s there, it''s constant.
Yesterday, after school, I took him in for his yearly check-up and the dr. said tics are common in children and to a) not mention it to him - never ask him to stop and b) come back in three months if his motions haven''t changed and she''ll give us a referal to a neurologist and c) come directly in if he begins having uncontrollable vocal tics (such as swearing or saying innappropriate things).
The only change in his life since the recent movement tic began is that he''s ended his fall sports season. He starts swimming in a few weeks, twice a week after school, and then we can see if that helps.
All the moms I''ve brought the blinking up to have said they''ve noticed it. The only ones I''ve talked to are friends of mine and I feel comfortable talking to them. . .a few of the kid have asked my son why he is blinking. Now the head shaking is going to be extremely obvious WHEN he gets into that mode and I''m worried he''ll do it at school. He has plenty of friends and the blinking hasn''t resulted in any teasing, but with the shaking. . .I''m not so sure.
Anyone have advice or experience?
About my son: he just turned 9 and he''s in 3rd grade.
When we lived in our last home (a year and a half back. . .we lived there for a few years then moved to a condo/townhome for one year and now are in a house again - all w/in a few miles - kids stayed in same school). . .my older son began blinking a lot. There was panic among family members that he had a tic. Rather than rushing him off to the neurologist, we took him to an allergist and skin pricks showed he has allergies to dogs and dust mites. In our home, we spent $1K on new carpeting in his room and the hall, bought special covers for his bed/pillow and I began washing all his bedding in hot water. That combined with antihistamines, the blinking pretty much stopped. It began again while we lived in the townhome and again we gave him allergy meds and it stopped. Now, the third summer, here in our current home, it began over the summer however the medications - including a nasal spray - weren''t able to entirely control this and it''s not gone away. Clearly it is partly seasonal so he must have other allergies (and I''m sure the woman who lived her before us had a dog). . .
The problem is that often parents say their child must have allergies and there can be confusion re: what is an allergy and what is a tic. Luckily we found evidence to support the blinking as symtomatic of allergies and we never proceeded to a neurologist. Now, he''s begun shaking his head back in forth in almost a spasm-like fashion and when he does it, he lifts his hands up by his neck, so the whole style of movement implies a child experiencing a moment of excitment.
He says it''s because he''s excited, but he isn''t able to control it and it comes and goes, but when it''s there, it''s constant.
Yesterday, after school, I took him in for his yearly check-up and the dr. said tics are common in children and to a) not mention it to him - never ask him to stop and b) come back in three months if his motions haven''t changed and she''ll give us a referal to a neurologist and c) come directly in if he begins having uncontrollable vocal tics (such as swearing or saying innappropriate things).
The only change in his life since the recent movement tic began is that he''s ended his fall sports season. He starts swimming in a few weeks, twice a week after school, and then we can see if that helps.
All the moms I''ve brought the blinking up to have said they''ve noticed it. The only ones I''ve talked to are friends of mine and I feel comfortable talking to them. . .a few of the kid have asked my son why he is blinking. Now the head shaking is going to be extremely obvious WHEN he gets into that mode and I''m worried he''ll do it at school. He has plenty of friends and the blinking hasn''t resulted in any teasing, but with the shaking. . .I''m not so sure.
Anyone have advice or experience?
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