Worried Bad Tics Developed

Have you googled this? There are quite a few links out there discussing the link between tics and prozac in children. Personally, I am very concerned about the use of this drug in a child of 8. There is a documentary (I watched it on netflix) called the medicated child, and it was fascinating and disconcerting -- it talked about the appearance of tics and other problems for children who are overmedicated and about how one drug can create side effects that then lead to the need for a second drug, and so on and so on. You may want to explore alternatives -- through diet and supplements -- for addressing depression in a young child. I was never a big believer in these approaches until we tried it with my 10 year old. There's no judgment of your choice to medicate intended here -- just a thought that you might want to learn more about it and consider other options.

I really believe that the Prozac CAN cause the tics.

When my son was younger, the doctor told me he had ADHD. The trial with stimulants was just awful. The doctor told me that when stimulants don't work, they try a different class of drugs, and he prescribed Zoloft.

Zoloft is an anti-depressant. My son was not depressed, but the doctor said that it would help with ADHD. (I don't know if they do this anymore now.) I started with a small dosage and then after going up to the next level, he started pulling on his legs. He would roll around in the floor and pull on his legs. I asked him why, and he said he didn't know. He told me "I just need to pull!"

Well, between this pulling of the legs and the awful side effects of the other meds, that was it! I weaned him off the Zoloft and we stopped medicating. It turned out that he did NOT have ADHD.

Your situation is different in that your son needs help with depression. I am not saying that you shouldn't medicate your son. However, Prozac is not the answer. Go to the doctor and try something else.

Dawn

You can google this as Veronica P suggested and find all kinds of articles on vocal tics brought on by mental health drugs. I can also tell you that my friends nephew/adopted son has this issue. He has multiple issues, due to the fact that his biological mom was an addict. Each time he is given a medication whether to address the ADD or whatever else he has going on, he devolopes a vocal tic of clearing his throat every 2-5 minutes. The moment he is taken off whatever the drug is, and they tend to vary, he stops as soon as it leaves his system. Discuss it with his Dr. and find a different solution. I know it's hard, as any drug having to do with the brain is often difficult to pinpoint, but hang in there.

My son takes zyprexa and has developed tics as well. His are clicks when he talks. His also started with a increase in his meds...his dr said we can try new meds but it's been a loooong process to get him on the right combo, and I don't want to start over! But from what I understand it can go away with change in meds. Good luck! And your an AWESOME mother for seeing your son needed help!

I would think about having your son see a naturopathic doctor. Many times depression and behavior issues in young children are caused either by food allergies/intolerances or because the child has a severe deficiency in some nutrient(s). These are areas that a Naturopathic doctor can help.

Through taking care of the issue (withholding/not eating the food that the body doesn't like, or getting the body replenished in lost nutrients) or revamping lifestyle (changing how/what a person eats and drinks, exercising, better drinking water, etc.), many of these so-called problems (I believe a lot of these are currently made-up by doctors and pharma companies looking to get people on drugs) can be cleared up the natural way, without going on drugs and facing the severe side effects those drugs produce on the body.

Prozac is a very powerful drug; I'm surprised to hear that an 8-year-old is taking it, no matter how low the dosage is. Your son would be better off--and healthier--if he has a natural solution to his issue.

Depression has been linked to a severe deficiency in Vitamin D3, as well as other nutrients his body could be depleted in. Buying 2,000 mg of Vitamin D3 from Vitacost.com might be all he'll need to "get better." Or have him sit out in the sun and acquire Vitamin D3 naturally (no sunscreen, about 15 minutes a day, with as much skin exposed as possible). But if he's seriously depleted, he'll probably need a supplement to get his Vit D3 up there.

My husband, my daughter, and I all take Vit D3 year round. We live up north, away from the Equator, and have winter more than we have summer; we are prime candidates for being Vit D3 deficient. Normal levels for healthy living/bodies are 50-70 ng/Ml.

You can check the medication at www.askapatient.com, although I didn't notice anything that mentioned tics.

Hi,
Please call your doctor right away. I am not sure if Prozac is a dopamine blocker, but if it is, it could be something called Tardive dyskenesia. My son got that from taking too many dopamine blocking meds that were prescribed to him at one time by his frootloop doctors. It it horrible! He ended up looking like he had a really bad case of parkinsons because of all of the tics and involuntary muscle movements. The only time they stop is while he was asleep. The condition is now with him FOR LIFE, and he had to go on a "maitnence" dose of the dopamine blocking meds to control it. The "safe" dose for a child under 17 yrs old is 1 mg or less. NEVER more. It will not do anything to help if they get more than 1 MG, but it can hurt. I really do hope that it isn't Tardive dyskenesia, because it is quite upsetting and even painful when the episode is finally over. All of my son's muscles are so sore from all of the movements, I end up having to carry him everywhere because he feeks so tired. The tics are facial, tongue, head, torso, arms, hands, legs, feet, fingers, toes, eyebrows, etc. Basically it's his whole body. If he can move it, he does! I would call the doctor and if he says it's a dopamine blocker, which I believe that it is, I would stop the meds and try something else. There are other meds that he can take. That or I would make sure his dose is lower that the 1MG amount. If you have any questions and want to send me a PM, feel free. I am always here to talk. Good luck! I hope that your son is ok!! <3