posted
My son's OCD seems to make sense now when I remember at 2years old how he would arrange his hot wheel cars all across the livingroom floor in a perfect line. He would get very frustrated and throw them if he couldn't get them as straight as he wanted. Maybe he'll be a brain surgeon someday, huh?
Posts: 27 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Perfume_V: The way that Tourettes is reduced to meaning tics & curses is similar to how dyslexia=backwards reading & writing, when actually, if you take a step backwards there is much more to the picture. Dyslexics think differently, they process information differently. Yes, typically a person whose brain works that way has difficulty with reading and/or writing. But often that person has other talents and abilities (mechanical, artistic, etc) that are also a byproduct of having that sort of a brain. The backwards letters are just a small part of it. I'm not trying to be all P.C. and "feel-goody" here. I've seen it many times and believe it true.
What I am wondering is: What do you see if you take a step back and look at the big picture of Tourettes? Are there some talents/advantages (perhaps some that could be tapped into?) that are part of the package? ommojob touched on this a bit, I would love to hear more.
I think my daughter (3) may have TS. She's been ticcing for a few months. We shall see. She was a very precocious talker--putting sentences together at 9 months old--and she's pretty focused. But she is a bit obsessive-compulsive compared to her sibs. It's so hard to gauge at this age, though--when bedtime rituals are so important, etc. Another thing that crosses my mind, is whether there is any relation to childhood tics (as opposed to full-blown TS) and growth spurts?
posted
I guess I may begin with the advantages/talents that come with tourettes. I have seen as well as read about many accounts of people with tourettes having very sympathetic and even more compassionate personalities. This may be due to their own experiences with social or personal problems. Another trait, this can somtimes be confused with ADD or ADHD, is the hyperactive personalities that are conveyed in patients with Tourettes. When I say hyperactive personality, and this may be a bad description of it, I mean that the person is much more lively than others who are "normal." This hyperactiveness may also contribute to the idea that people with Tourettes seem to have an abnormally fast reflex. There is an author that I have read about, Dr. Oliver Sacks, who describes many tourettes patients having a peculiar fascination with fast moving or spinning objects. If you want a more in depth description of Tourettes as well as other fascinating neurological disorers I recommend reading anything from Oliver Sacks (Anthropologist On Mars, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.) I'll also comment on your questions about the big picture of Tourettes. My own idea of Tourettes and the baggage that comes with it is that Tourettes is not as bad as many people percieve it is. That is not to say Tourettes is nothing to take lightly. Tourettes is incredibly rustrating and can become almost physically and mentally intolerable. But what also comes out of this isn enormous will to survive. Those who suffer with Tourettes are a testament to the strength and patience that the kids and adults have. It is incredibly hard to describe what goes on inside the heads of people with tourettes, and the unknown and frustration of dealing with it. Tourettes proves the saying of what doesnt kill you makes you stronger. So as much as Tourettes, in my own opinion, creates a great handicap it also builds strength and a will to survive and break through anything else that life has to dish out. I wouldn't trade my Tourettes and everything that comes with it for any amount of money in the world. I also would never wish it on anyone no matter how much I may not like them. As much as I hate Tourettes, I also have come to accept that I am not who I am today if it weren't for the Tourettes. Jeez I feel like I've just writen an essay. If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask. AIM:ommojob.
Posts: 44 | From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
there aren't any real specific talents like artistic or mathematical in people with tourettes. The range of occupations of people with tourettes is incredbly wide. There is a sugeon with tourettes who actually forgets he has tourettes when he's in the operating room. I myself am pretty good with music, while a friend of mine who also has tourettes is great at math and science which I suck at. No two people with tourettes are the same. And the learning disabilities that are described with tourettes are either the other disorders that come with Tourettes (OCD,ADD,ADHD), or it may be the distraction of the tics themselves. Heck I dont see half my day go by because my eyes are closed from ticcing. Also the attempt of holding in tics takes almost every but of concentration from the person doing it. I dont recommend doing it. The more you hide the more problems you're going to have. But again the talents and abilites range with people with tourettes because the part affected is the connection between the body and the mind. My own theory is that the body is sometimes acting without permission from the mind. Hence the whole no clue as to where its coming from or why its happening. This means that the process is more physical and mental miscommunication rather than perception. That job is of course taken over by the OCD and sometimes ADD.
Posts: 44 | From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
It's hard to differentiate what is bad behavior and what is the tourette's with my 8yr. old son. He is very hyperactive and also OCD. I don't want to reprimand him for things he cannot control, but also need to discipline him so as not to be a kid that gets away with things. He also seems to be in his own world much of the time and I have to ask him things many times before he responds to me. He seems to be the calmest when he is playing Playstation or video games on the computer, but I know there needs to be a limit on these things. He is in swimming, but always complains about going and I don't know if I should force him or just let him quit. I know it is so good for him physically for an energy release and also excellent neurologically for his sensory issues too.
Posts: 27 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by LeahS: My son is turning 17 next week, and although we (Ok I) have questioned TS since he was 6, he was just finally diagnosed a few weeks ago.
For him, is tics are a minimal issues. yes, they are noticeable, and yes, kids say stuff to him about it. But what is more of an issue for him is the OCD that comes with it.
My son in incredibly self aware, more than any other teenager I know. He can also see through people very well. All of this is interesting becuase his social skills are VERY much lacking.
quote:Originally posted by Perfume_V: The way that Tourettes is reduced to meaning tics & curses is similar to how dyslexia=backwards reading & writing, when actually, if you take a step backwards there is much more to the picture. Dyslexics think differently, they process information differently. Yes, typically a person whose brain works that way has difficulty with reading and/or writing. But often that person has other talents and abilities (mechanical, artistic, etc) that are also a byproduct of having that sort of a brain. The backwards letters are just a small part of it. I'm not trying to be all P.C. and "feel-goody" here. I've seen it many times and believe it true.
What I am wondering is: What do you see if you take a step back and look at the big picture of Tourettes? Are there some talents/advantages (perhaps some that could be tapped into?) that are part of the package? ommojob touched on this a bit, I would love to hear more.
I think my daughter (3) may have TS. She's been ticcing for a few months. We shall see. She was a very precocious talker--putting sentences together at 9 months old--and she's pretty focused. But she is a bit obsessive-compulsive compared to her sibs. It's so hard to gauge at this age, though--when bedtime rituals are so important, etc. Another thing that crosses my mind, is whether there is any relation to childhood tics (as opposed to full-blown TS) and growth spurts?
Our son (16 this weekend) has T.S. I knew by age 2 that something was up with him. When he was 7, I watched a 20/20 episode on Tourette Syndrome and instantly knew. We panicked, grieved and looked for support in a church that thought we were either 'claiming it for him' or he was possessed........we left.
He was always a fidgety goofy little boy and would get up and dance even to commercial jingles. He started tap dancing in 2nd grade and was adorable. He could immediately pick up the steps, tapping faster and more precisely than children who'd been dancing for 2 years. He had no trouble focusing while dancing, and was tic free when he did so. In adolescence, he traded his taps for a black belt in TaeKwonDo. He's extremely fast and flexible, perhaps due to dance, though he also sleeps, on occasion, seated with his legs crossed and chest on the bed. He's quirky, kind and handsome.....and always feels alone and terminally unique. While the tics are lessening in the teens (especially with the knowledge of some food allergies) the periods of depression frighten this mother.
And oh.....once our son was diagnosed, I couldn't help but diagnose myself. )
Posts: 3 | From: colorado | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Originally posted by snowbound: It's hard to differentiate what is bad behavior and what is the tourette's with my 8yr. old son. He is very hyperactive and also OCD. I don't want to reprimand him for things he cannot control, but also need to discipline him so as not to be a kid that gets away with things. He also seems to be in his own world much of the time and I have to ask him things many times before he responds to me. He seems to be the calmest when he is playing Playstation or video games on the computer, but I know there needs to be a limit on these things. He is in swimming, but always complains about going and I don't know if I should force him or just let him quit. I know it is so good for him physically for an energy release and also excellent neurologically for his sensory issues too.
I too have confusion over the boundary issues and have sought out this site today to get some clarity. Our teenage son got a bad grade on his report card last semester. It seems as though I'm always pleading his case to his Dad (who's not very informed on T.S.)who seems to think he's just being lazy. It's hard to know when to push your child, without pushing him over the edge, or communicating to them that you're disappointed in them. For many with T.S., the feelings of low self worth comes naturally. I do know that physical activity as well as a clean diet and sleep helps with the symptoms. When our son plays computer games, he's tic free as it engages another area of his brain. When he's the most vocal (and I myself can't seem to sniff enough) is when we watch T.V.
Posts: 3 | From: colorado | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Regarding the sleep issue, a friend told me yesterday that melatonin helps her sleep and also fish oil works for relaxation. You always want to check w/your dr. first to make sure it's ok if you are taking other meds. It's so hard to know too regarding knowing how hard to push your child. I guess sometimes you just have to utilize trial and error and pray a lot! Hang in there - I'm trying Posts: 27 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by snowbound: My 8yr. old son has been diagnosed with TS and has mild tics. The overiding symptom is ADHD and OCD. He says he doesn't want to live sometimes because the pain is too hard. He says he has so much energy that he can't control it and he is always getting into trouble. We have tried some meds., swim club currently, and psychologist. His self-esteem and self-image are the main thing we are concerned about for him now. I wish there was a children's book he could read that describes how he is feeling and would also give him some hope. His family/friends relationships are hurting because of all this. Any advice/help anyone could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I have an 11 year old son that was diagnosed with Tourettes, OCD and ADD. He has told me the same thing that he doesn't want to live. His tics get so bad that he gets migrains. It just breaks my heart to see and hear that these children have to go through this. I started my son on St. Jonhs warts I'm hoping that will help with his depression. My son is alway getting into trouble at school too and the kids are crule. It is so frustrating that I can't alway protect my child. What has kind of worked with my son is talking to his class about his disorders. He is putting a play together with the school nurse to try to explain what he goes through everyday. He is hoping with this play the kids will try to understand and not be so mean. Finding out my son has Tourettes has put a huge strain on our family. Alot of them are in denial and they think this will all go away. I don't know if I helped you at all,just know that you and your son are not alone.
Posts: 2 | From: Clinton Michigan | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
What a good idea to have a play for the kids to learn more about the TS, etc. I don't know if my son would want to do that yet. I'll have to ask him if he'd be interested and see what he says. I don't think he completely understands what is going on w/his body and mind yet. Just knowing other people/children out there have similiar issues help us not to feel so isolated. I've told my son that I'm talking w/other moms who have kids w/TS and I think that makes him feel better too. Posts: 27 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
I'm incredibly glad that so many people are finally fighting to get rid of the stereotypical Tourettes and finally opening doors that need to be opened. It seems that the media sort of helped as well as hurt the image of Tourettes Syndrome. While showing us that Tourettes syndrome is real it also made it into a stereotypical illness that was tought of only as an inability to stop swearing.
Posts: 44 | From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Hello. I suffer from profound nervous tics and profound vocal tics. I take pshyciatric medications and watch what I eat. I do not consume caffeine nor too much sugar. I ease up on the junk food but I love to eat meats. I asked my medical/holistic doctor how much of each of the following 3 categories contributes to my restless nerves and mind. 1) Genetic predisposition 2) Psychological 3) health problems/food allergies She responded by saying probably all 3 contribute to my current condition but what percentage of each neither she nor I know. 22% psychological + 54.5% genetic + 23.5% health problem/food reactions?? It feels like its largely a biochemical thing allot more than psychological. I would suggest trying medications and eliminateing some foods to get the maximum benifit from meds. Alot of the stuff we eat isn't good all the time anyways.
Posts: 3 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2006
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I'm 38 and for many years I suffered from ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, irritability. When I was a child I was in special ed. classes and was a C average student. I am now an A average student and working toward degress that nobody including myself thought was possible. I posted a reply before and mentioned that avoiding some foods and taking meds helped me greatly.
Posts: 3 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by ommojob: Hi I'm in college and was diagnosed with Tourettes in fifth grade. By now I've come to accept the tics and have actually grown accustomed to the sometimes subtle sometimes extravagent gestures I display. But as I've grown with the Tourettes and actually stopped taking medication for it, I've noticed something that seems almost as taxing as the tics themselves. Yes the tics are tiring, but there is more to Tourettes than the sudden thrust of ones arm or an outburst of barks. Tourettes also affects the mind, beyond the ADD that seems to come up everywhere now. I myself am filled to the brim with information all the time. And I am in contstant analyzation of my environment constantly questioning the things around me. This rush of information and my attempt to piece it all together has often times taken me to the point of mental and physical exhaustion and even breakdowns.
I'm writing this post in hopes of a reply from others who are in the same situation or those that would like to know. I've looked and have found little information regarding Tourettes beyond the outward tics and sounds, but as someone who has dealt with Tourettes Syndrome I want people to know that Tourettes is as much mental as it is physical.
Posts: 3 | From: St Louis, MO | Registered: May 2006
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