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Facial and Eye Tics in Children:
The Links to Magnesium Deficiency
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Coprolalia is an occasional characteristic of tic disorders, in particular Tourette syndrome, although it is not required for a diagnosis of Tourette's and only about 10% of Tourette's patients exhibit coprolalia. It is not unique to tic disorders; it is also a rare symptom of other neurological disorders. Tics—making sounds (vocal tics) or movements (motor tics) that are difficult to control or suppress—are a part of having Tourette, but there is more to the story. Having a tic is complicated. A person can have tics ranging from simple, temporary tics lasting a few weeks or months, to having many complex tics.
When one of my sons was young, he started developing odd eye blinking habits and facial tics from time to time. At first it seemed like he was just joking around, but over time it became more and more apparent that the movements he was making were events occurring outside of his control.
During one Halloween season when he was about four, I took him to a kiddie Haunted House with his play group. Even though it was a 'lights on' event designed especially for preschoolers, evidently it was still too scary for him. He got very stressed out and we had to leave early. What had been occasional tics and twitches started occurring almost constantly.
Muscle Twitching Information from the |
In the car he started blinking his eyes oddly and developing all sorts of weird facial tics. Even after we got home the tics did not stop over the next several days. I became worried that at the rate his involuntary movements were increasing that it would not be long before he was diagnosed with full blown Tourette syndrome.
| One ounce of almonds contains 19% of the DV of Mg. |
I took him to the doctor but he didn't have any advice and just told me there was no treatment available. So I did some research and found that many of the symptoms associated with both tics and Tourette's are linked to magnesium deficiency. These associated symptoms include:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Autism
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Seizures
- An exaggerated startle response
Upon finding this out I started researching magnesium some more. I identified several areas of my son's diet that may have been causing his magnesium levels to be low. When I changed his diet to include more magnesium rich foods and less magnesium antagonists, the tics, twitches and blinking totally cleared up in a few days.
The problems areas in my son's diet were:
- The multivitamins I had been giving my son did not have any magnesium, but did have several vitamins and minerals that were magnesium antagonists. I found out that including magnesium often makes multivitamin pills too large to easily chew or swallow, so the manufacturers often just leave it out! Click for info on a study that links multivitamin use to asthma and allergies, conditions often associated with tics.
If you give your child a daily multivitamin, check the label to see how much, if any, of the recommended daily value of Mg it contains. - The breakfast cereal and fortified rice milk that my son enjoyed also were fortified with magnesium antagonists, especially calcium, but were not fortified with any magnesium.
- Thinking that I was keeping my kids healthy, I had been giving my children whole wheat foods. But in reviewing the studies on Pubmed, I found that the phytates in whole wheat and other grains may actually cause mineral deficiencies, including magnesium deficiencies.
So I cut out the whole wheat bread, the multivitamins, the fortified anything and gave my son some small amounts of crushed magnesium in his yogurt with active cultures for a few days. Plus, in general I tried to give him more vegetables and other magnesium rich foods. In a few days the facial tics and eye blinking stopped. I do wonder now when I see other people with tics and signs of Tourette syndrome if they would also benefit from some minor diet modifications.
One mom wrote to me that her son's facial tics almost completely went away after she gave him some almonds and sunflower seeds to eat. Both foods are rich in magnesium, as well as other vitamins and minerals. I've had a number of emails from parents who tried magnesium, either in food or supplements, for their children's tics, and all but one reported improvement, with several reporting complete improvement as occurred with my son. While this is only anecdotal evidence, since many health studies report that people in general in the U.S. and other Western countries do not consume the RDA for magnesium, it would logically follow that tics and twitches may be a common health malady in a population with less than optimal magnesium intake. |
Occasional Tics
Please note that even though I personally gave my son magnesium supplements, if I had to do it over again I would have started out by just giving him a diet focused on magnesium rich foods instead of supplements. Magnesium supplements are actually very alkaline and can neutralize stomach acid, which can cause malabsorption and other problems. They can also be dangerous in the presence of certain health conditions such as kidney disorders. I gave my son the magnesium in yogurt with active cultures because I'd found that the bacteria from the cultures in the yogurt can be acid forming, so that tends to counter balance the alkalinity of the magnesium. See this page of my site for more information about magnesium supplements, and this page for more information on acid - alkaline balance.
Interestingly, though my son has only very rarely experienced tics again, he has had bouts of sleepwalking and talking in his sleep, other conditions commonly associated with Tourette's. The sleep walking and talking in his sleep cleared up when we increased the amount of magnesium rich foods in his diet.
Update - 2008 My son who had the tics when he was little is older now, and I can't recall him having any tics for the last ten years or so. I try to make sure he eats healthy and has some magnesium rich foods every day. Recently though, he went away for the weekend with some friends, and for the first couple of days of his vacation he was just eating mostly junk food. He said he woke up at night from a twitch in his leg and later developed a tic near his eye. He ended up going to the grocery store to buy some soup and vegetables. The leg twitching did not reoccur after that and the eye tic went away a few days after he was home and eating healthy again. |
Second Update - March, 2015:
I still get emails from readers asking how my son is doing these days, more than a decade after I wrote the original version of this web page. I am happy to report he is now in his twenties and is healthy and tic free. He is still not a big vegetable fan, but he does eat healthy otherwise and includes some veggies and lots of magnesium rich nuts and beans in his daily diet.
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Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Nov 16, 2020.
- Care Notes
- Overview
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
What is Tourette syndrome (TS)?
TS is a disorder that causes your child to have tics. A tic is when your child makes sudden, fast movements or sounds that he or she cannot control. TS begins before 18 years of age. Tics are usually most severe between ages 10 and 12 years and often improve during adolescence.
What increases my child's risk for TS?
The exact cause is not known, but it may be linked to genetic changes that cause problems with chemicals in the brain. These chemicals affect the nerves that help control your child's movements, behavior, emotions, and thoughts. Your child is more likely to have TS if a close family member has TS. It is more common in boys. Ask your child's healthcare provider for more information about family history and other risk factors for TS.
What kinds of tics may my child have?
Your child will have at least 2 kinds of motor tics and at least 1 kind of vocal tic. The motor and vocal tics might happen at the same time, but they might happen separately. Your child will need to have the tics for at least 1 year before his or her healthcare provider will diagnose TS. Your child may have any of the following several times every day:
- Motor tics can be simple or complex. Simple motor tics are short, quick, uncontrolled movements of one body area. Complex motor tics occur when your child has many simple motor tics at one time. Common examples include eye blinking, teeth grinding, or foot tapping. He or she may also bite or punch himself or herself, shrug his or her shoulders, or twitch his or her nose.
- Vocal tics can be simple or complex. Simple vocal tics are when your child makes uncontrolled noises and sounds. Complex vocal tics are when your child speaks words or phrases without having control over what he or she is saying. Common examples include barking, throat clearing, or shouting. He or she may also make a sucking noise, curse, or say inappropriate things.
What should I know about tics?
- Your child's tics may be worse when he or she is alone, stressed, tired, excited, or worried.
- Your child may have warning signs before tics begin, such as feeling cold, warm, itchy, tingly, or heavy. When the tic occurs, these feelings go away.
- Your child may have fewer tics when he or she is concentrating, doing activities, or sleeping.
- At times, your child may be able to stop a tic from occurring. This may cause discomfort or a feeling of pressure in his or her body, causing many tics afterwards.
- As your child grows older, tics may go away on their own.
What other problems might my child have?
Children with TS are more likely to also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or bipolar disorder. Ask your child's healthcare provider for more information on these disorders. Your child may also experience the following:
- Being teased or bullied by other children
- Embarrassment about the tics, or low self-esteem
- Pain with certain motor tics
- Temper tantrums, bullying other children or animals, or harming himself or herself
- Trouble sleeping, bad dreams, or sleepwalking
- Trouble learning in school
How is TS diagnosed?
Your child's healthcare provider will ask questions about your child's tics and health history. Tell the provider when the tics started, how often they occur, how bad they are, and if they interfere with daily activities. Tell him or her if a family member has TS or another tic disorder. Your child's healthcare provider may do testing to check your child's brain function. He or she may check your child's eyes, strength, memory, and problem solving ability. He or she will also check for other conditions, such as ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and mood disorders. These often occur with TS. Treatment for some of the other disorders may also improve tics.
How is TS treated?
Treatment for TS may not be needed, or may be started later. Your child's provider may recommend watching and waiting to see if the tics get worse. Your child's tics may become milder or go away during the teen years. Treatment may help make tics less severe but usually does not get rid of them completely.
- Medicines may be given if your child's tics are painful, harmful, or make it hard for him or her to do daily activities. The medicines used to treat your child will depend on what other conditions he or she has. Medicines may be given to help decrease your child's tics. Some of the medicines may also help control anxiety, mood swings, or aggressive behavior. Some medicines may also help your child sleep. The provider will talk to you about common or severe side effects that each medicine can cause. He or she will also check over time to see if each medicine is still needed or can be stopped.
- Biofeedback training helps your child to control how his or her body reacts to stress or pain. This training can help reduce tics by helping your child manage triggers that can lead to a tic.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps your child learn to control his or her behavior, thoughts, and emotions. CBT may help your child understand the tic disorder and help him or her cope with the symptoms.
- Habit reversal therapy helps your child learn new behaviors to take the place of his or her tics. Your child learns to recognize when the urge to have a tic is building. Your child learns to choose an action that will interrupt the tic. He or she may need to do the action for up to 3 minutes before the tic urge stops.
- Relaxation therapy helps decrease your child's physical and emotional stress. Stress may make your child's TS worse. Relaxation therapy may help your child learn to control the tics. Deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation, and listening to music can help your child cope with stressful events.
What can I do to help support my child?
- Be patient. Remember that your child is not choosing to have tics. He or she is not acting out or trying to cause behavior problems. Punishment will not stop him or her from having tics. A calm and patient approach may help make the tics less severe or happen less often.
- Help your child manage stress. Your child may have fewer tics when he or she is concentrating, doing activities, or sleeping. His or her tics may be worse when he or she is alone, stressed, tired, excited, or worried. It may help to create a regular schedule. For example, set up time during the day for your child to do his or her homework. This can help prevent him or her from trying to finish at the last minute.
- Do not focus on the tic. The tic may get worse the more your child thinks about it. Help him or her focus on his or her strengths and interests. Do not let a tic disorder define your child.
- Create a regular sleep schedule. Have your child go to bed at the same time every night. Make sure he or she will be able to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Lack of sleep can make a tic worse.
- Encourage your child to let the tic out as soon as possible. The longer he or she tries to hold back the tic, the worse it may be when it happens. Your child may have warning signs before his or her tics begin, such as feeling cold, warm, itchy, tingly, or heavy. When the tic occurs, these feelings go away. At times, your child may be able to stop a tic from occurring. This may cause discomfort or a feeling of pressure in his or her body, causing him or her to have many tics afterwards.
Where can I find more information?
- Tourette Syndrome Association
42-40 Bell Boulevard
Bayside , NY 11361-2820
Phone: 1- 718 - 224-2999
Web Address: http://www.tsa-usa.org
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US) for any of the following:
- Your child tells you he or she feels like hurting himself or herself, or others.
- Your child has hurt himself or herself, or someone else.
When should I seek immediate care?
- Your child gets very upset, threatens someone, or is violent. This may include talking loudly, shouting, or becoming very demanding.
- Your child has a high fever, muscle stiffness, and problems thinking.
- Your child has new vision changes.
When should I call my child's doctor?
- Your child is not sleeping well or sleeps more than usual.
- Your child has trouble in school or becomes depressed or anxious.
- Your child is having muscle spasms (twitching) or trouble walking.
- Your child has new tics, or the tics are getting worse or preventing him or her from doing daily activities.
- You have questions or concerns about your child's condition or care.
Care Agreement
Occasional Tics Disorder
You have the right to help plan your child's care. Learn about your child's health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your child's healthcare providers to decide what care you want for your child. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.© Copyright IBM Corporation 2020 Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. All illustrations and images included in CareNotes® are the copyrighted property of A.D.A.M., Inc. or IBM Watson Health
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