5 year old son has ticks.

[Pamelastrying]

Ok where do I start.
For 2 years I have been bugging my peditrician to diagnoise my son.
He is very very active.Major Ticks too.
He has Motor and Vocal ticks.
Well he kept telling us your son is a typical active boy who just needs to be disiplined and he said he has behavioural problems.
More like I guess he said to be more strict with him.
Oh yes.I'm strict.I don't let him get away with stuff.
So I have been going through 2 years of being depressed.
Thinking I'm not a good parent.
My child wont listen to me or my family.
My family put me through rough times too.
They kept telling him to STOPPP.Then I get into fights with my family.
They tell me to disipline him better.
Well finally last week I found some-one who could help me.
He is a Chiropractor/nurologist.
He told me that my sons right brain was not functioning properly.
He said that's how kids get Tourettes and ADHD.
Well I was happy that some-one beleived me.
So last Tues I went to see my peditrician,I told him that I found some-one who will help me.
He was very very upset.Then that day he diagnoised my son with
TOURETTES.
It really upset me.For 2 years my son and I have been living a nightmare.
He has the same Ticks he had like 2 years ago.
He is still active and does not listen.
It took him this long to help me out.
Now my poor sons ticks are so bad that he hits his chest and bangs his head (some-times)with his fist.
But now I don't know if I should go to the chiropractor for help.
He said he can help him without the drugs.
I just feel so mixed up.
Nooo one believed me.Now my family and every-one else beleive that yes my son has ADHD(I have ADD) or he has Tourettes.
I was wondering.
Have you ever heard of a chiropractor/nuroligist help a child like my son.
Please help.
I'm so mixed up.
I'm so scared to give my poor son medicine.
I'm not sure if he has Tourettes.
Or if it is ADHD with Ticks.
Thanks and sorry this is sooo long.
I'm just so scared.
Thanks

[Debbie1967]

A related discussion, Information was started.

[muddywaterz]

My husband was diagnosed with ADHD when he was around 7, he had several ticks like you describe your son having.  He was put on several medications, sent to special schools and counseling.  None of which really helped him.  He outgrew the ticks, but not the side effects of the medications or the low self-esteem that came from being made to feel something was wrong with him and that he wasn't "normal".  Make sure you get as much information as possible and get the correct diagnosis before you allow others to lable him or drug him.  Read everything you can and get ahold of an organization in your area that has advicates that deal with ADHD and Tourettes children.  Be informed and follow your gut feelings, you know your child better than anyone else and you have to be the one that decides what is best for him.  Good luck.

Shannon

[Pamelastrying]

Thanks so much for your advice and comment.
But I think we are going to give him a chance.
He even said that give him 19 sessions and if we don't see any results at all then he will refund us half our money.
We know my son has ADHD(for sure)
But I'm just so scared to give him meds.
Plus he's tooo young I think for meds.
My mother and I went to his seminar yesterday and it really impressed us.
I learned a lot tooo about ADD(that I have)
But my father thinks we should not go to him plus no other doctors too.
He thinks what ever my son has he will grow out of.
I know he would not.Unless we get help.
Ok thanks for every-thing.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

First of all you will need to ahieve some clarity about your son's condition. If indeed he displays Tourette Disorder he will require pharmacological treatment. Likewise, if he truly displays a serious degree of ADHD he will require pharmacological treatment. But the key is to be sure the diagnoses are accurate. I would be somewhat suspect of a doctor who professes to be both a chiropractor and a neurologist. This would be highly unusual, though it is not impossible. One of the problems in the treatment of a child who displays both ADHD and TD is that the usual front-line treatments for ADHD can potentiate motor and/or vocal tics. However, there are options. TD can be difficult to treat because there is no single medication of combination of medications that can be utilized. There are several classes of medications which are often employed in combination. What you might do as a next reasonable step is to seek either (a) an evaluation by a child psychiatrist, or (b) an evaluation by a pediatric neurologist.