We jsut went to a pedicatric neurolgost today. DS is 10 had tics on concerta yrs ago. Has been stimulant free for 1 yr and just developed tics ask ago. DR. said he has tourette's syndrome. We are starting him on clonidine in PM .1 mg- I think and focolin XR next week. He has been struggleing sooo much in school and home. We are feeling a liuttle releaved that he might get some help.
Dr. said tics areen't caused by meds but if they have tic disorder the meds can make them surface. We are also scheduled for a sleep study next week. Dr. thinks he may have sleep apnea.
Thank you all for your responses. Joe is still having tics with the added clonidine, though they aren't as bad as they were. He has facial twitches/blinking, and a vocal tic as well (sort of a soft moan noise). I've been talking to a lot of people who agree that meds don't cause tics but can make them surface if they have a tic disorder already. I think I read that many kids with ADHD and autism can have tic disorders along with it. It's still very tough on the family but we are moving forth the best we can. Everyone at the school has been great about it. In fact the guidance counsellor told me his son had a tic disorder he eventually outgrew, and he has a lot of info about it. He and the school nurse both have offered a great deal of support. We see the psych. again at the end of the month, too.
Thanks again for the responses everyone.
Let us know what the doctor said about the meds. I am interested. Mine keeps telling me DS had no ticks but we noticed it and the teachers,2, noticed it as well.Yesterday Joe was home and med-free agin, but had a great deal of tics again. His psychiatrist wants to try clonidine for the tics (he already takes 0.1 mg at bedtime.) We're to add a half tab in the morning with his Focalin. She said to wait a week and observe him, I guess it can take a few days to see if things will improve with the added clonidine. He had to stay home today for an unrelated reason, and had lots of tics again this morning. They slowed down around lunchtime, and started up again about an hour after mid-day dose of Focalin. I'm VERY nervous about all this. I mean, he has pretty much constant tics- twitching face, and nodding his head. I've been reading other places how tics can be permanent; My husband is EXTREMELY upset, saying Joe was fine until he got immunized (Joe is on the autism spectrum) and that he had no tics until we decided to give him meds for his ADHD. I know we try to do what's best for our children- Joe has improved SO much on Focalin- he can do his schoolwork, he interacts with the other children, etc. But at what price? It's really haunting me.Have you tried anything else in the Ritalin family other than Focalin? My daughters tics worsened on Focalin XR. She currently is taking Concerta & tenex and doing well with that combo w/ minimal tics. It is definitely a delicate balance. We tried adjusting the tenex dosing - using the same amount but split differently .5 am & 1.5 pm - and it doesn't work as well as 1 mg AM/PM.My daughter started on Concerta and immediately developed a tick. She constanlty licked her lips. thousands of times that day. The next day it was much less, the third day gone.
She is now on Dexedrine and no side effects including tics at all. (well other than the loss of appetite)
We've tried Concerta and Focalin XR (Concerta also gave him tics, and it was immediate; Focalin XR didn't work as well as the short acting.) We also tried Adderall XR (bad tics and made him extremly emotional), and did try non-stimulant, Strattera, which didn't help him at all.My son 10 had tics bad while on Vyvanse and we went to Concerta and they slowly(about 2 weeks) went way down but he has a few anxiety tics with the Concerta but you barely notice.Well, the Adderall XR made his tics almost constant. It was awful, he was twitching like mad. And he was an emotional wreck to boot-- the best time of the day for him was after the Adderall wore off. I kept him home from school today and haven't given him any med. He is still having twitches but MUCH less frequently and he's his normal unmedicated self emotionally ;) I am waiting to hear from his psychiatrist today to see where to go from here.my son had a tic with concerta. when we took him off of it and switched to vyvanse his tic lessened alot the 1st week or so. but since he was still taking a stimulant (vyvanse) his tic didnt go away. he actually started to get more. so basically the ic started to go away but after a week or 2 got back to the same frequecy and then he got another one. some ppl have tics with every stim and some only get them with certain meds.
kim
My son had many tics on Focalin, and was just switched to Adderall XR (first dose was this morning.) My question is, if we're going to see a reduction in the tics, how long would it take? He is still having tics today, though less frequent, but still troubling. I've read tics that don't pass within 2 weeks should be note for concern, but not sure how med changes might make a difference.We put our son on clonidine 1.5 wks ago and just started focalin XR 20mg. His tics have slowed way down. Now he just does a blinking thing with his eyes sometimes but it's not his whole head- much less noticable. He seems so much happier and told us he was sitting at school reading and "felt comfortable" in his chaair. He said he usually doesn't. Now I'm just waiting to see the grades go up:) And praying for no bad side effects.