So worried - Ritalin and Twitching | ADHD Information

My son, 8, started a Ritalin trial last weekend.  After three days on 1/2 tab per day, he started head twitching/jerking.  We then stopped the Ritalin on doctor's advice - 2 days ago..  Has anyone experienced this?  Did it go away?  How long?  Doctor said Ritalin sometimes brings out what was already there.  Said the twitching may last weeks and then come and go.  HELP.It is called Tics and can be a side effect of the med.  I am sorry to hear about this.  Perhaps if you researched some of the natural alternatives and occupational therapy (I know it is a long term thing) you may have some help there.  There are many posts on this forum from people who swear by their alternatives.  Take a search through - good luck and welcome to the forum quinnThank you Brenda.  Your  experience gives us hope that it may go away.  We will not be trying any other meds.  I am praying .   Good luck with your  girl. Yeah Quinn,sounds like tics to me too.My daughter develped them on all the stimulants and even strattera.My brother has tics so it is in the family and that's why she got them.They say stimulants don't cause tics,just brings them out if you have a family history.Everytime we stopped the stimulant it took a week or 2 for the tics to go away.She stopped strattera a week ago and she is still having a tic of smelling her fingers.I'm hoping it goes away soon.We are med free right now and looking into natural alternatives and eliminating sugar and caffeine from her diet.I don't know what we'll do if it doesn't help because we have tried all the meds.Good luck!Motor tics will eventually fade in a high percentag of cases such as when the patient is not addicted or taking the med for LONG periods of time. I mentioned in another post a girl I knew that started taking it (recreationally) and she had slight studdering probs. before she even started. Now, it takes he like five minutes to finish a sentence. She had bouts with other things as well, so this statement is more than likely not at all related to your case. It's good to notice these things early, and be able to help the ones you love then. Before it's out of control. I admire you for posting this concern as well.


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Thanks to all who answered.  Two weeks after only three days on Ritalin, the severe facial tics have lessened from repetitive to occasional. Let's hope and pray it stays that way.