Any experience of tics in a teen

[wingsandstrings]

My DS 13 has developed a tic (facial motor tic) over the past 4/5 months. It waxes and wanes and also mutates (blinking and wrinkling nose for a couple of months, then blinking and moving neck etc). He has had some very minor tics previously which have resolved fairly quickly without any intervention. So I guess he may be prone to them, which is interesting as he is known for being a pretty relaxed character, very laid back and charming. Other than, of course, the pandemic (his Dad got really sick but has fully recovered) and lockdown which he really disliked, he doesn't right now seem to have anything particular that's concerning him: he's always been popular at school; very good at sport and enjoying playing for his teams at the moment; and does well academically. It does bother him a bit as he looks odd, and he says it makes him tired/distracted because he is trying to mask it to some extent when in public. However perhaps it worries me more than him, just because mums worry I guess. I don't want people to make him feel bad. Do you have any experience of tics, and what can help? I read up on it and it's confusing, there is contradictory advice. One school of thought seems to be to ignore completely, never mention it, as if they are anxious about it the tic will get worse. However there is another school of thought that says that they should be mindful of tics so they can try and eliminate them eg. they can try habit reversal therapy, where they do something instead of the tic, something less visible. I'm getting worried at the length of time this has endured; how visible the tic is; and how it seems to mutate so just as we stop the nose wrinkling the neck jerking begins . . . . Any thoughts from your own experiences?

ps. I know that tics are more prevalent in people with ADHD, OCD, and some mental health issues, but my DS has never shown any other signs or symptoms of any of these. Just in case that helps in terms of suggestions of how to support him.

Ah was just about to say my DS developed physical tics (long blinking and pulling his ear lobes) when he was 12 but CAMHS advised it was most likely related to anxiety which we were aware of.

He may be internalising it and not showing outward signs so maybe worth asking for an appointment.

Do you think it's due anxious about his appearance? I also think tiredness doesn't help and can really be caused by too much screen time, but if he's sporty that helps him spilt up his time.

You say he looks odd. Is there anything that can be done to help? Is it ears, does he need his eyebrows plucked in the middle or some help for his skin? I'm sure things can be helped to make him more confident.

@cheeseandpicklesandie

Do you think it's due anxious about his appearance? I also think tiredness doesn't help and can really be caused by too much screen time, but if he's sporty that helps him spilt up his time.

You say he looks odd. Is there anything that can be done to help? Is it ears, does he need his eyebrows plucked in the middle or some help for his skin? I'm sure things can be helped to make him more confident.

Ah, I think I was unclear, apologies. I meant he is bothered by how his tic looks as he feels it makes him look odd, apart from the tic he is happy with how he looks. He is in fact very handsome; I realise this sounds a bit cringeworthy as I would say this as his mother, but his good looks are often commented upon. He is tall, handsome, popular, sporty and has a very happy family life . . . . he is a really 'lucky' boy in that sense and I can't see any signs of anxiety (other than this tic) or a cause for anxiety (other than COVID/lockdown related). But he has this quite profound tic, and he's had it for months. Today his eyes were really sore just from the constant violent blinking. I'd love to help him manage it.

@EvilOnion

Ah was just about to say my DS developed physical tics (long blinking and pulling his ear lobes) when he was 12 but CAMHS advised it was most likely related to anxiety which we were aware of.

He may be internalising it and not showing outward signs so maybe worth asking for an appointment.

Thanks, yes, I had been wondering if he was internalising anxiety. Perhaps being known as a laid back and confident lad is a bit of a bind - perhaps it means that he feels he can't admit to being anxious. I need to broach the subject of anxiety again and reassure him that it's completely normal to be stressed or anxious and there's no pressure on him from us to be 'sorted'.

My ds is 8 and asd, has always had tics since very little, he can suppress them in public but he tells me it tires him out as he's always thinking about it, and has to clench his fists. I think there are some strategies for suppressing them but often they find their own way like mine has. As far as I know there isn't anything else that can be done for them, I would be interested to know if there is as I'd love my son to be able to relax!

I will add though that we make it clear to our son that he can be himself at home and no need to suppress them, we don't look at him or comment when he's doing it because even at home he is very conscious of it.

My DD had pretty much always had some kind of motor or vocal tic. In the first lockdown they became extreme and it was so upsetting to see her struggle with them.

Cannabis oil has almost completely cured her of them. If you want to know more about it I can PM you the link to what we use. It can be tough to work out what you need by looking online as nobody is allowed to suggest dosage etc.

Maybe your first port of call should be a discussion with the GP. They may be able to suggest a referral elsewhere to neurology or Camhs. He sounds lovely and so do you - I hope you can get some help.

Ah ok, maybe it's something else bothering him, causing him to worry. Is there any pressure on him with the sports? Like a scholarship or getting scouted. It must of been hard in lockdown with no much happening.

It could be girl trouble or even worries about his sexuality? You sound really supportive, I hope you can work it out.

DD2 developed some verbal and motion tics over the autumn/winter. She is on the autism spectrum and has anxiety. For her she finds that using redirection techniques works well - she has some favourite poems that she knows off by heart, and reciting those seems to break the pattern.

She's since been put on some medication for anxiety and we have had no tics recently. We've also had massive improvement to her general wellbeing and energy levels - her anxiety was absolutely making her fibromyalgia symptoms much worse.

I read there has been a huge upturn in tics in teenagers over this lockdown. He’s not alone. Maybe lockdown affected him more than you realised and now things are returning a bit more to normal, it will get better. I wish him well and a speedy recovery x

The paediatrician we saw for 13 year old DS said there's been a huge upsurge in children presenting with tics since lockdown.
However that doesn't mean you shouldn't investigate further, indeed my son has now been seen by a neurologist (his is constant shaking hands) who wants MRI. Though the expected diagnosis is Essential tremors combined with muscle weakness the unexplained onset and no family history is why he'll be having MRI.

My DS is 11 and has had tics since he was about 3 or 4 im dreading the day he becomes bothered by them as at the moment he doesnt seem to care. He saw a counsellor as CAMHS were useless, the counsellor seemed to think he had a problem with verbalise his feelings which was the problem but we don't seem to have made any headway despite her trying to give him strategies. The main thing that stops the tics being as severe is his sports but unfortunately he cant play sports all the time!