I've enjoyed reading your entries. My daughter, who turned seven last week, shares a very similar story to your son. Mostly minor tics, but usually a small vocal tic or some sort. Sometimes it's a cough or a hum, but it's always something. I'm always afraid the small vocals will turn into the big vocals. Anyway, many of the triggers you mention also occur with my daughter, and something else I've noticed now that it's been going on for four years, is that she has them worse for about a month or so during the summer and also during growth spurts. After a long stint of tics, her clothes will have grown smaller, especially shoes. She also has the hyperactivity during her worst bouts. It's almost like she's out of control. Sitting still is almost impossible. I'm pretty laid back and the bouncing energy is more than I can handle at times.

We went to a birthday party yesterday and there was this gorgeous butterfly cake, covered in all colors of the food-dye rainbow. The cake gets cut and it's tie-dyed on the inside. I looked around for Jerry Garcia to pop out somewhere, but remembered he had long passed. Anyway... it's been pretty crazy since that piece of cake. Its the only time I let her have cake like that, at birthdays. I should have told her no, but it's hard. Ugh. She knows, though, that crazy colors will do it to her, and she makes the choice to suffer later. No difference with me.. I know the cake will add the pounds, but I surrender to it every time.

Good luck to you and your family! I hope we all find some more peaceful days. :)

Jackie