It's Just My Tic!

07/15/2010

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Keeping this short to update you all on Stink's all-you-can-eat-Tourettes diet... which is very very different than how he normally eats. (see post below.)

Let's just say that we're seeing a difference - and not in a good way. He has been vocally doing that "huh" and can't really get through a sentence without some sort of clear or "mmm" or something.

It's not crazy loud, but just non-stop. He's also been waaaay more keyed up. My husband has even noticed it. "Kind of like a motor" he said. (Ya think?)

We're in our cabin this week. A few neighbor kids stopped by to play pool. Both of them, at one point, looked at him, and said, "What's up with those noises? Do you need to cough or get a drink?"

Stink just looked at them totally non-chalant and said, "Oh, that's just my tic!"

Clearly these kids did not know what a tic was, so when he did it again (ten seconds later) they said, "Is that your tic?"

He nodded.

They went, "Hmmm" and that was it.

No big deal! Like, duhhhhhhh, it's just Tourettes.

So, while I am going CRAZY until the end of this month when we can put this kid back on a diet (after some new blood work) for him, it's just a tic.

That'll teach me.






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Feingold Diet - ADHD/Tourettes

07/09/2010

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On my ever searching quest of acceptance as well as keeping my kid's body balanced I'm now looking into the Feingold Method.

This is your basic healthy eating diet (similar to what I already do for Stink) but it starts slowly. In other words, with very outlined stages, it takes a kid from eating everything to eliminating, one by one, triggers. (Another link which explains it in simple terms is this one.)

This has worked for many people who have been at their wits end with ADHD, ADD as well as Tourettes and a whole host of other issues.

I like this because my husband, who is ever skeptical of diet affecting tics, can see what works, and what doesn't, in step-by-step logical order.

I'm still reading Sheila Roger's book.

I've also moved the rabbit outside of the house. Major improvement in tics.

For kicks and giggles, we've reintroduced dairy this month. From what I can see so far, Stink is way less focused and more hyper. Even my mom noticed a spike in his wiggling, obstinance and inability to focus on anything very well. Doing a quick internet research proved my point: ADHD and Dairy aren't a good combo.

My game plan for July is the following:

* Let him pretty much eat what he wants and note his behavior/tics
* Get his blood tested again at the end of July for food allergies
* With the results in hand, start taking out the offending foods one per week in August to see how his behavior/tics mellow out
* Start September/second grade with a new combat plan for what he can and cannot eat.

I'm tired of guessing at this.

I'm tired of thinking I'm doing this right, but worrying about if I'm being a mean mom taking certain foods away.

Knowing that I have tested my food theories, with the support of my husband this summer, will arm me with the confidence I need to raise my kid with the foods and environment that will give him the best shot at life.

Stink is amazing. He can also be a turd. I'm not trying to be a hippy dippy mom and blame everything on food. But for fxxx sake, if you're a diabetic, you don't eat sugar without feeling nuts. It's harder to make good decisions. So goes it with kids who have food allergies.

Sidenote: Stink just walked in to show me something on his I-Spy Game. He cannot stop moving and humming. It's like a motor is attached to him. DRIVE ME NUTS. However, I have got to stick to this in July or I'll never really say with confidence, "Yes, this diet makes a difference."

Wish me luck.


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