Miralax and sudden tics in my son

February 7, 2010

Hello,

I have a 5 1/2 year old son who within the last month developed an eye-rolling

tic.

Some history....My son had some constipation issues, would go every couple of

days and started having some blood after wiping. I tried Metamucil (was given

this from ped at age 2 1/2 during potty training when he wouldn't go), but it

didn't seem to do much. The ped told me to give him Miralax for 6 months until

his body 're-trained' itself to empty his bowels. He as been on it for about 4

months now. About a month ago I started noticing this 'eye-blinking' thing that

at first my husband and I tought he picked up from an older cousin that did this

when he was coming off his ADD meds in the evening. However it started getting

worse and turning more into an eye-rolling tic that really scared us. I had him

evalauted through the school district, thinking maybe there was something else

going on. His eval was great, totally normal, advanced for his age, no vision

issues either. He has never had any behaivor problems or social problems. He

has always been an all around well adjusted kid that is bright and a joy.

I made an appointment with a ped neuro, as suggested by the SD for what they

thought was probably a tic. I have an appt. in a couple weeks. Yesterday I

started researching the eye-rolling, because I had never seen this before (only

the blinking thing). I stumbled across this correlation of tics and Miralax and

was stuned and horrified that what I was giving my son to treat his constipation

could have possibly caused this!

Now thinking about his behaivor over the past month or so, i guess I could say

that he has been a little more aggressive and impulsive than in the past. Not

at preschool but at home with his little sisters. I guess I just figured maybe

this was just more of a 'boy' behaivor, getting frustrated with his twin-2 year

old sisters messing with his stuff all the time.

Of course I stopped the Miralax today immediately (he was taking 1/2 dose every

morning) and ordered Magnesium/calcium/zinc childrens supplements and probiotics

to hopefully help restore any depletion in his body that the Miralax could have

caused.

My fear is that the damage is done. Will he get better being off the Miralax?

How long will i wait to see a difference if in fact this is what caused this?

I am trying to not get too excited...maybe this was going to happen anyway. I

heard aorund 5 years is when these tic disorders start to devlop anyway. I just

pray that if it was the Miralax that did this that it will get better.

Any suggesttions, advice, personal experience would be greatly aprreciated!

Thank you,

S.

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