First - I'm new here - just found the site. This has been an exhausting day preceeded by 2 difficult weeks, and the past two years of diagnoses, changes, meds - etc.... for my 10 YEAR OLD SON - - (soon to be 11).
It started with ADHD DX.... he was on various meds, and shortly after was diagnosed with a seizure disorder after a 24hour sleep deprived EEG. He went on various meds including Gabitril, Provigil, and Neurontin. It was a confusing time, I'm a single mom, I was on a new job, new school for my son (then 3rd grade) and all these diagnoses? In my opinion one of these meds caused a side effect of eye rolling -immediately off these meds, on to a neurologist- and the eye rolling continued. We went to a pediatric neurologist, had 24 hour ambulatory EEG and an MRI - and after four months of Depakote and no improvement - changed doctors. We're now going to Texas Childrens in Houston - While I love our new doctor - the diagnoses are disheartening and confusing.
Anyone bored yet?
My son: He's great! Everyone says how smart he is (even though he struggles in school - he is a strong "B" average). He will go into middle school this year - 6th grade. I worry I didn't hold him back when he was little, but Pre-K -2nd grade he was honor roll "A" - - too bright to hold back. Now he is one of the youngest in his class, he will be 11 2 days after school starts - and his classmates will mostly be 12-13. He is 6-8 inches (or more) shorter than most of his peers, therefore he is not as athletic (feeling inadequate to play basket ball with them, or can't run as fast, or not as strong). Still - he is a strong character albeit too sensative. He does do Tae Kwon Do. He likes Rap Music. He is a "little adult" - he worries about adult things, puts things together in an adult way, had a strong sense of right and wrong, confesses anytime he hears or says a bad word, or thinks a bad thought... (he has been in here 3 times tonight to tell me the video game we rented says curse words - but promises not to repeat them). He is so honest - probably too honest. He has gotten in trouble in school (in fact 1 day out of school suspension) when he got emotional over a kid bad talking a little girl he liked. He made a remark, another child "told on him"... the teacher called him to the hall and asked what he had said - - and my little honest Abe repeated verbatium.... was taken to the office and suspended for a strong threat against another child (he said "I hope you get run over by a car" - I don't think my 4'2" 10 year old san was actually going to get the keys and run the kid over - but that is a conversation for the "is zero tolerance working against our kids" web site! (o; However said it to say - - he gets emotional, does wrong... but unlike "bad kids" he is very remorseful, apoligizes immediately, and "beats himself up" so much - it is hard to punish him.
Current diagnoses: ADHD, Tourettes (only tic eye rolling), OCD.
Current meds: 5mg Adderal am; 40mg Prozac and 18mg Strattera in pm
Therapy - Pschotherapy every 2 weeks (also diagnosed there with fear of abdondoment)
Family History (the things that keeps me worried so while I hate the meds and don't 100% agree with the diagnoses - I'm afraid not to pay very close attention - I'm on constant watch!!)... His father is Bi-Polar, possible other mental disorders, frequent RX Drug abuse (the reason we are no long together), has seizure disorders and migraines - , fortunately lives 700 miles away, (good because he is unstable - not good because Sam misses his dad). and feels - - yes - abandon.
Most Recent problems - Sam's best friend just moved away and Sam was so emotionally upset he cried uncontrollably and worked himself into an anxiety attack. We got past the first weekend, last week was a little rough, today was as bad as the first weekend. Tears, mad, hating God - questioning why God made him so emotional, why he took his friend away, why he makes his eyes roll. He's worried that I'll die because I'm "old" (he says - no offense mom - but you're almost 50)... I am 46 - my only son - had him late in life. He asked why I didn't have him when I was 25 instead. What if I get short term memory loss like my dad and forget about him (my dad had great memory until age 90 when he broke his hip and had to be put in a home - he didn't walk after his accident and lived to be 95) All of these BIG concerns from such a small child??
He gets teased by kids about his eye rolling, and I hesitate to call it tourettes in fear that my son is so bright and sensative, that if he hears "Tourettes Syndrom" and knows what it is (or looks into it), he will hear about much worse tics and they might manifest (can that happen??).
I read many postings on this site and read somethingabout PANDA's - - not sure if my son falls into that category - but will bring that up to my doctor. In looking back to his medical history the time line was diagnosed with Strep throat around the same time of so many other diagnoses and tics etc.??
Recently when his eye rolling was really bothering him, I called the doctor and he asked me to have a strep culture which I thought odd - but came back negative? Maybe he was looking into that?
I feel like Sam and I can deal with the ADHD and muttle through OCD - - but the tics bother him, kids tease him, it makes him feel bad about himself. If I roll my eyes in frustration about anything - Sam sees that as a personal attack on his problem.
Too many diagnoses? And his recent depression and adult worries and concerns, and emotional worries - -
Like I said - I'm a single mom, both of my parents are gone, my sibs are busy world travelers... I feel I'm stuck here in Houston Texas - alone and trying my hardest to be here for my son - to make him feel better, to calm his fears, to answer his questions..... the entire time needing answers of my own.
Now - - if any of you still muttled through this long description of my dilemma - any advice or comments are welcome.
