If you have a child with chronic tics - you know. You know the concerning looks, hurtful comments, and probing questions. You know how your child becomes self-conscious when he blurts out a noise or involuntarily jerks his arms… hoping no one noticed.

Because motor and vocal tics largely happen outside of a child’s control, they can feel helpless to make them go away, which can be heartbreaking for parents who just want their child to feel accepted and in control of their body.

You may have heard your child’s pediatrician say that tics typically go away on their on and you have “nothing to worry about”. But for parents who want to help their child feel “normal” and fit in NOW, those comments do little to bring comfort in the waiting.

While it’s true that many tics resolve themselves over time, we want you to know that you don’t have to just sit back and “hope” they eventually disappear. You can TAKE ACTION now to reduce the frequency and intensity of tics SOONER by addressing the root cause and trying different natural strategies that help repair miscommunication in your child’s nervous system so their brain-body connection is functioning at it’s BEST.

Types of Tic Disorders

Chronic Motor or Vocal Tic Disorder: A condition that involves brief, uncontrollable, spasm-like movements (motor tics) or vocal outbursts (vocal tics), but not both, for more than a year.

Tourette Syndrome (TS): When at least two motor tics and one vocal tic are present (not necessarily at the same time) for more than a year.

Transient Tic Disorder: Motor and/or vocal tics have been present for less than 1 year and have not met the criteria for another tic disorder.

What Tics Look Like

People with tics may display the following behaviors or sounds:

• Facial grimacing

• Involuntary face and eye movements, such as repeated blinking, nose twitching, or jerking or clenching your jaw

• Muscle jerks of your legs, arms, or body, but rarely your torso

• Sounds that can include coughs, grunts, sniffling, and throat clearing

How Common are Tics?

Tic Disorders begin before the age of 18, with onset typically between the ages of 5 - 7 years. In the United States it’s estimated that more than 1 in 100 (1%) school-aged children have some type of Tic Disorder. Tics are 3 - 4 times more common in boys than in girls.

What Causes Tics?

Doctors are not entirely sure what causes Chronic Motor Tic Disorder or why some children develop it earlier than others, but they believe it’s related to a repetitive MISFIRING ⚡️ of neurotransmitters (messages) from the brain to the body.🧠 When neurological messages are not communicated properly this causes the same “message” to be sent over and over again - resulting in a tic.

This miscommunication in the central nervous system is caused by STRESS (physical, emotional, or chemical) that distorts the correct amount of tension within the nerves and spinal cord needed to properly communicate with the brain.

What Makes Tics Worse?

• Anxiety or embarrassment

• Lack of sleep

• Fever or illness (strep is a common one)

• Intense emotions

• Stress (physical, emotional, or chemical)

How Does Neurologically-Based Chiropractic Care Help?

To correct the roadblock in communication between the brain and spinal cord you need a NEUROLOGICAL intervention … and that’s where Torque Release Technique (TRT) comes in!

✨TRT chiropractic care delivers gentle, specific adjustments to the nerves along the spine which restores the proper amount of tension required in the nervous system for optimal signaling between the brain and body.

When there are FEWER misfired messages, tics get BETTER or go away altogether! In fact, we have several patients actively under care getting these exact results! 🙌 (See Macy’s testimony below).

What Else Can You Do to Prevent Tics?

Medication is sometimes prescribed to manage or reduce more severe tics, but can come with unwanted side effects and added chemical stress on the body. Most parents we talk to want to PREVENT their kids from having to take meds (which we completely support!), so here’s some dietary options you can try that may help your child’s tics go away.

Dietary Strategies: Changing what you eat can be hard, but it’s effective. Some types of food add stress to the brain and body that increase inflammation and interfere with the brain’s ability to communicate messages to the muscles, nerves, and organs. By reducing inflammation and the toxic load our children’s bodies have to carry, you increase your child’s overall health and ability to heal.

Foods and additives that may exacerbate tics:

• Gluten

• Dairy

• Corn

• Artificial coloring/food dyes

• Artificial sweeteners

• Sugar

• Caffeinated beverages like soda, coffee, or energy drinks

Supplements that may help reduce tics:

• Omega-3 fatty acids

• Magnesium

• NAC

• B6

To learn more information on dietary interventions and supplements for tics read this article.

Story of Healing: Macy

When Macy came to Restore she had been struggling with motor tics, sensory processing disorder, OCD-like tendencies, anxiety, and poor sleeping habits for a few years. 😩

Macy had been working with a play therapist and teachers from school but wasn't seeing much progress. Medication had been suggested as an option to try, but her parents didn't want to go that route, so they tried neurologically-based chiropractic care instead.

✨Since receiving consistent Torque Release Technique adjustments at Restore, Macy's health concerns have greatly improved:

✅ Her tics are completely GONE

✅ She can better regulate her emotions and isn’t as sensitive or defensive as she once was

✅ She falls asleep naturally and can sleep through the night

“In general, she's a HAPPIER girl and has made leaps of improvement since starting chiropractic care. 🎉 Life is much easier for Macy and our family now that there aren't as many tantrums and tears.” -Meredith (Macy's mom)