TIC DISORDERS AND ANXIETY

Uncategorized Dec 06, 2021
Many children with a tic disorder diagnosis also struggle with a laundry list of other issues including anxiety. One in three children in the US is diagnosed with anxiety and half of them also struggle with depression. Tic disorders and anxiety have been on the rise over the past 30 years and are being diagnosed more than ever. The big question is why?
 
Conquering Anxiety!  I cannot tell you how many people I know who say they suffer from anxiety and depression. I see everyone on Facebook post every day about how they can’t even function because their anxiety is so bad. For most people, the anxiety depression, and panic seem to snowball and it gets worse and worse every day.  So many people think that anxiety is just part of their life and that is how they are going to have to live.  Let me be the first to tell you that you don’t have to live this way. Your issues are a symptom of a much caused by something much deeper and it’s a...
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TIC DISORDERS AND THE MICROBIOME

Uncategorized Nov 29, 2021

Tic disorders stem from stress and our children seem to be living in a constant state of fight or flight. 

What do your kids do when their mood is off and feel stressed?

Most of the time they act out or behave badly. They have mood swings and cry. They may also binge eat for comfort. For children with tic disorders you most often will see an increase in tics and sometimes a new tic will arise.

Children especially small children don’t know how to deal with stress and they certainly don’t know how to listen to their bodies. For every one signal, your brain sends to your gut sends 10 signals to your brain. Those little guys in your gut are in charge! After reading this article, you may consider yogurt, a handful of walnuts, or maybe even some dark chocolate as your go-to mood-boosters and stress-busters.

Today, we’ll unpack some of the exciting (and preliminary) new research about the link between your gut health and moods/stress. We’ll talk about...

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Tic Disorders, ADHD, OCD, and Sensory Processing: What's the Connection?

Uncategorized Nov 22, 2021

As parents, we are always on the lookout for how to stop tics or tic disorders treatments but we don't take into account how another diagnosis might be connected to tics. 

Children who suffer from Tic disorders, ADHD, OCD, or Sensory processing are more likely to have another diagnosis. Tic disorders and other related diagnoses often go hand in hand with each other. A co-diagnosis is when a child has two different diagnoses that go together. Tics may be the most noticeable of these conditions, but they typically accompany one of these three: ADHD, OCD, or sensory processing disorder. We are going to explore tic disorders and how they relate to other mental health issues such as ADHD, OCD, SPD, and even autism spectrum disorders.

Tics may be observed in children diagnosed with ADHD. For example, a child with Tourette Syndrome (TS) accompanied by attention deficits will meet the diagnostic criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Tic disorder is also comorbid...

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Ultimate Tic Disorder Guide

Uncategorized Nov 15, 2021

Ultimate Guide to Tic Disorders

What are tics?

I get it…you are tired, frustrated, and confused! You have a tic diagnosis but no idea what it really means for you or your child. You have searched the internet and tried Magnesium and B6. You have looked for natural treatments for tics, making tics stop, facial twitches, facial tics, eye blinking, or even natural remedies for tics, but you still feel like you are shooting in the dark.

 What are tics? 


Tics are brief, sudden movements or sounds. They may happen at random times and many times each day. A tic is hard to stop, but you are awake and aware during a tic. Tics do not cause you to lose consciousness and usually do not happen in your sleep. 

Tourette's includes both vocal and motor tics that last for more than one year.

Many people will tell you that their child's tics come and go (wax and wane). That was true for us, but we didn't realize that particular triggers caused the tics to come and...

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What is at the Root of Your Child's Tic Disorder

Uncategorized Nov 08, 2021

I bet your doctor has never told you this before...

Chronic inflammation is the primary driver of chronic disease and the underlying cause of chronic illnesses. So if your child has a tic disorder, it's time to explore where that inflammation is coming from.

Am I right? That's what I thought, and honestly, only one of our eight doctors has ever talked to us about inflammation. 

Plus, I am sure you have wondered "how do you get rid of a tic?"

Before we dive in, you have to understand that inflammation is not just inflammation; inflammation comes in different forms, both necessary for health and harmful if it's chronic inflammation.

Inflammation is an integral part of your immune response and the first line of defense for your body against harmful stimuli like germs and toxins.

But inflammation, as with all things in life, is not black or white; Inflammation can be necessary but also harmful, which means that a specific type of inflammation has to be dealt with accordingly (more...

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Tic Disorders: Medical Treatments Vs. Natural Approaches

Uncategorized Nov 01, 2021

Tic Disorders: Medical Treatments  Vs. Natural Approaches

      Tic disorders include both motor and vocal tics. Tics can be physical, such as blinking or arm flailing, or verbal, such as the sounds made by grunting and barking. Tics are involuntary and very difficult to control. It is estimated that 1 in every 162 children struggles with tic disorders and many practitioners feel that many more cases go undiagnosed. Tic disorders typically first appear between ages six and twelve but this number does not consider those whose tic disorder was acquired after the age of 18. Tics tend to come on suddenly in those who have previously been developing normally without any noted problems with motor skills or speech up until that point.

         The exact cause of tic disorders can vary although factors such as genetics may play a role. However, in cases, such and PANS/PANDAS infectious disease and underlying infections...

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THE LINK BETWEEN INCREASED TICS AND ILLNESS

Uncategorized Oct 25, 2021

THE LINK BETWEEN INCREASED TICS AND ILLNESS

I am sure you are wondering is there a connection between my kid getting sick and an increase in tics.

Are you ready for a science lesson? This week are going to dive into why your child's tics seem to get worse when they are sick. When your child is sick with an infection or illness, it's normal for tics to increase. However, they're often worse when the child has a fever. This is because the body's immune system reacts to fight off the invading virus or bacteria.

When tics increase, especially when our kids are sick, it is essential to look at the immune system and inflammatory response. When your immune system becomes activated, it starts releasing inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are a normal and natural response of the innate immune system. Cytokines are tiny proteins that are critical in controlling the growth and activity of other immune system cells as well as blood cells. When cytokins are released, they signal the immune...

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WHY DO TICS COME AND GO?

Uncategorized Oct 18, 2021

WHY DO TICS COME AND GO?

You hear me cover many different types of topics in my weekly emails, on my blog, and on social media - everything from the latest science about food sensitivity testing and diet to sleep, exercise, meditation, and spirituality. 

As a parent you may have searched high and low for natural treatments to tic disorders, will tics go away, do magnesium and B6 work for tics, natural remedies for tics and Tourettes, and I am sure the list goes on.  You have done the research you have tried all the natural treatment recommendations but you still feel stuck. 

It may not always seem as if these topics have anything in common, but they do. They are all addressing different types of stress that we encounter throughout our day and combat it.

We think of stress as "my boss is a jerk" or "there is a bully at school". I am going to ask you to step out of the box and consider all types of stress! Stress isn't just the mental or emotional stress we...

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WHAT CAN YOUR GENES TELL YOU ABOUT TIC DISORDERS?

Uncategorized Oct 11, 2021

WHAT CAN YOUR GENES TELL YOU ABOUT TIC DISORDERS?

Has your child just been handed a tic disorder diagnosis? They are experiencing tics and twitches and you don't know what to do!  Maybe you have questions about the genetic roots of your kid’s condition? I'm here to answer your questions and help ease some anxiety. I have tons of powerful information that may relieve, or at least clarify, some of your worries. 

I want to help you explore the genetics behind tics disorders and what they mean for children who are affected by them. In addition, I want to make sure that parents have all the resources available to them when it comes to their kids and any medical conditions they might be experiencing – so read on!

Is there a gene that predisposes your child to tic disorders? In short, no! Although many genes have been studied, there is not a stand-alone gene that is influencing a tic.

I am sure you are wondering, "then why does genetics matter?"

When I look at...

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TIC DISORDERS: 5 TIPS TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING

Uncategorized Oct 04, 2021

TIC DISORDERS: 5 TIPS TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING

I'm not going to lie, I am a mom with two teenagers, and it has been hard at times to encourage them to eat healthily. It's even harder when you are faced with the challenge of packing lunch for school or work every day! But don't worry, this blog will give you some tips on how to make it easier. 

For most of my clients, sticking to a diet plan is paramount for reducing tics, improving focus, and tackling sensory processing issues.

However, teenagers want to eat ALL the junk! Parents ask me all the time how to help them stay away from the junk.

Well, I'm happy to say that there are numerous ways to help teenagers and children eat healthier without giving up on what they like. Eating healthy for them doesn't have to be all about veggies and raisins.

  1. Focus on what you can control: Keep healthy food in the house and stock the fridge with fruits and veggies. Avoid the packaged processed junk and anything that comes in a box, bag,...

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Tic Disorders Cheat Sheet

The guide you need if you are tired of...

 -Being written off by your doctor?
-Told to just "ignore" it?
- Feeling like you are drowning because you don't know how to help your child?

Learn the 3 Secrets Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You About Tics