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Reply to "What helped my DC's tics - Vitamin D"

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[quote=Anonymous]Dear all,

I have hesitated posting this because of the jinx factor, but if it helps one person, then it's worth it!

My DC (ADHD - predominately hyperactive) has had a vocal tic since about 6.5 - 7 years old.  It has ebbed and flowed, with some pretty brutal peaks along the way.  Fast forward to 9, and we found ourselves at an ENT faced with the beginning of vocal nodules as a result of the stress the tic was placing on the vocal chords.

We discussed with the pediatrician, a neurologist, the psychiatrist.  We ignored it; we talked about it.  We followed all the advice and relentlessly googled.  In sum, we did all the things.  The tic was worse when the stimulants were "kicking in" and worst of all when they were "wearing off."  The neurologist wasn't surprised, but still said that they were not caused by the ADHD treatment per se.  The medical literature seems well settled that tic disorders tend to emerge at the same age that ADHD is diagnosed, but there is not necessarily a cause/effect.  We agreed it was more important to treat the ADHD, while tolerating the tic in any event.

Once things reached a fever pitch -- a long while since an ebb, tics somewhat evolving into other tics, and the finding of the vocal nodules -- I had an "aha moment" and thought, is there one thing doctors have told us to do that we are not doing?  I looked at our post-annual visit sheet from the pediatrician, and it said to give a certain amount of Vitamin D each day.  Then I found a study that vitamin d serum values were lower in those with chronic tic disorders.  It confirmed that Vit D supplementation could help.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6716592/#:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20deficiency%20has%20been,severity%20of%20the%20tic%20disorder.

Started on 1000 IU a day, and DC's tics are now, several months later, virtually gone.  We saw a decline starting about a month after we commenced, and a greater lessening 4 months in I would say.

Yes, this could just be continued brain development, or it could be this one change.  Vitamin D seemed like a safe enough bet for us to give it a try.

YMMV of course!

Posted in solidarity and thanks for all the other great support on this board!

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