handwriting

[mandyknowles]

So, does this not being able to write ever go away? I have to say this has been the hardest on my daughter. Even though it just started a couple of weeks ago, it is the hardest on her. Why does this mess with their handwriting anyway?

[mandyknowles]

Oh, and she has started sticking her tongue out and blowing over and over...i swear this is one wierd thing to have to deal with. it really saddens me that we all have to deal with this.

[EAMom]

So, does this not being able to write ever go away? I have to say this has been the hardest on my daughter. Even though it just started a couple of weeks ago, it is the hardest on her. Why does this mess with their handwriting anyway?

 

It should...have you checked family members for strep (cultures, maybe titers)? My PANDAS dd's handwriting just fell apart when I got strep.

 

I see she had IVIG a couple of months ago. What ab is she on?

 

How about testing for Lyme?

 

So the handwriting got worse 6 weeks after IVIG?

 

I noticed my dd's handwriting was really bad immediately following IVIG #2 (I assume the IVIG "stirred things up") but I would think that 8 weeks post, your dd might be getting better.

[Phasmid]

Hi,

 

my son's handwriting is now something that is absolutely diagnostic for my son. If his handwriting has deteriorated, I know he's relapsing, but I do look at other signs as well. So far, the handwriting is a dead giveaway. Why does it affect writing? I don't know, because the supposed region of the brain affected by this inflammation that is seen in PANDAS is the basal ganglia, a group of structures mostly responsible for movement. The brain's cortex is involved in writing. Loss of attention stamina, tiredness, overall not feeling good, ....

 

BUT, his printing has returned to normal after last round of antibiotic/prednisone- all same size letters, no mixing of cursive with print, no slanting. It's truly striking. This one feature is really the only thing that got the interest of my son's pediatrician when we were trying to convince him of PANDAS. He said that nothing else could explain the drastic changes.

Edited October 26, 2010 by Phasmid

[EAMom]

an interesting discussion of the Basal Ganglia from Dr. Amem:

 

http://www.amenclinics.com/brain-science/cool-brain-science/a-crash-course-in-neuroscience/basal-ganglia-system/

 

It discusses fine motor problems/handwriting.

Edited October 26, 2010 by EAMom

[mandyknowles]

So, does this not being able to write ever go away? I have to say this has been the hardest on my daughter. Even though it just started a couple of weeks ago, it is the hardest on her. Why does this mess with their handwriting anyway?

 

It should...have you checked family members for strep (cultures, maybe titers)? My PANDAS dd's handwriting just fell apart when I got strep.

 

I see she had IVIG a couple of months ago. What ab is she on?

 

How about testing for Lyme?

 

So the handwriting got worse 6 weeks after IVIG?

 

I noticed my dd's handwriting was really bad immediately following IVIG #2 (I assume the IVIG "stirred things up") but I would think that 8 weeks post, your dd might be getting better.

 

 

Yea it has gotten worse since the ivig. She is on minocycline and augmentin now, because of Lyme. And her mycoplasma was just retested and its high again...i wonder what that means? And, no we havent been checked but we are going to now.

Edited October 26, 2010 by mandyknowles

[mandyknowles]

Hi,

 

my son's handwriting is now something that is absolutely diagnostic for my son. If his handwriting has deteriorated, I know he's relapsing, but I do look at other signs as well. So far, the handwriting is a dead giveaway. Why does it affect writing? I don't know, because the supposed region of the brain affected by this inflammation that is seen in PANDAS is the basal ganglia, a group of structures mostly responsible for movement. The brain's cortex is involved in writing. Loss of attention stamina, tiredness, overall not feeling good, ....

 

BUT, his printing has returned to normal after last round of antibiotic/prednisone- all same size letters, no mixing of cursive with print, no slanting. It's truly striking. This one feature is really the only thing that got the interest of my son's pediatrician when we were trying to convince him of PANDAS. He said that nothing else could explain the drastic changes.

 

 

She never really had any problems with handwriting until the ivig. now she cries because she just cant write. so as of today she does all of her homework on microsoft word. This way she doesnt feel too bad about not being able to write. And, see she cant have the prednisone because of the lyme.

[smartyjones]

EAmom -- would you mind giving me more info or a link if you've previously discussed on what you described as the copying issue your daughter had? does this have a name? did she have other handwriting issues as well or mainly with copying? was it from a faraway board or directly from a paper in front of her?

 

thanks!

 

 

[JAG10]

an interesting discussion of the Basal Ganglia from Dr. Amem:

 

http://www.amenclini...ganglia-system/

 

I took my dd to the Amen Clinic in Reston, VA in July, 2007, a few months after she nosedived. Her SPECT scan showed over-activity pervasive in the perimeter and down the middle of her brain. They call that Ring of Fire ADD, but she did not have the raging usually associated with it. After her PANDAS diagnosis, I tried to write Daniel Amen about the etiology of her Ring of Fire, but I never heard back from him. I did email the psychiatrist who treated her from his clinic and she was "stunned." whatever.

[EAMom]

an interesting discussion of the Basal Ganglia from Dr. Amem:

 

http://www.amenclini...ganglia-system/

 

I took my dd to the Amen Clinic in Reston, VA in July, 2007, a few months after she nosedived. Her SPECT scan showed over-activity pervasive in the perimeter and down the middle of her brain. They call that Ring of Fire ADD, but she did not have the raging usually associated with it. After her PANDAS diagnosis, I tried to write Daniel Amen about the etiology of her Ring of Fire, but I never heard back from him. I did email the psychiatrist who treated her from his clinic and she was "stunned." whatever.

 

What was she stunned about? That your dd had PANDAS?

 

What were her symptoms when you got the scan?

 

It sure would be interesting to do a study with a whole bunch of PANDAS kids and see what their spect scans (a la Dr. Amen) would look like.

 

While I think Dr. Amen has some interesting ideas, I don't think he is tuned into PANDAS or knows anything (?) about it. At least I don't see it mentioned on his website or elsewhere.

[tantrums]

Interesting... I have heard of Dr. Amen (and seen him on Celebrity Rehab LOL) and wondered what his take was.

 

I'm with Phasmid. My sons handwriting completely went out the window last year with his first episode. Also, his drawing. My son is very artistic and can draw well beyond his years. He was reduced to scribbled stick figures. He is also obsessive about his drawing, so he would end up scribbling, screaming and ripping up the pages. Then asking US to draw what he wanted. It was really awful

 

Despite what phase he is in now, his handwriting has been quite good. But I see his drawing taking a nosedive again. And he is very very clingy - even refusing to go to friends houses to play. So I am watching his handwriting like a hawk to see what happens.

[Fixit]

an interesting discussion of the Basal Ganglia from Dr. Amem:

 

http://www.amenclinics.com/brain-science/cool-brain-science/a-crash-course-in-neuroscience/basal-ganglia-system/

 

It discusses fine motor problems/handwriting.

 

i know this isnt' what you post this for...good readable info but.......

 

" TS runs in families and there have been several genetic abnormalities found in the dopamine family of genes"

 

maybe i'm tired????? i haven't seen anything about genetic abnormalities in the dopamaine family of genes....

there was the 1family that had a similar abnormality in a gene that i thought was closely related to allergies-histamines...not found anywhere else...not any other ts person or family.

and another study...where 1 boy in a family with ts.(if i got that part correct) had an abnormality...but again, no other ts patient or person showed the same abnormalities(i believe there were 700 people involved)..

 

just want people to be aware of how "research" is sent out to the masses...

unless i missed something else....

Edited October 26, 2010 by Fixit

[Sylvia]

Wow, VERY interesting thread! I have two boys with autism/PANDAS, and I usually post comments and quesitons about my youngest and most severely effected son.

 

But my oldest son made huge improvements on handwriting recently since starting Augementin 500mg two times a day. I hadn't really seen any big improvements, then it hit me - his handwritng was PERFECT! Beautiful really! That just blew me away since he has always had problems with tracing over and over certain letters or words, making his periods the size of bowling balls, not spacing his senteneces correctly, etc.

 

I had been hoping to see some improvement in his obsessions, such as he refuses to put a shirt on if his hair is wet, he rufuses to wear long sleeve shirts (although he will wear a jacket if it is very cold or raining), and many other little rules he must live by. None of those really changed, but suddenly his handwriting is a site to behold! This gives me great hope that we are ON TO SOMETHING HERE!

 

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JAG10]

an interesting discussion of the Basal Ganglia from Dr. Amem:

 

http://www.amenclini...ganglia-system/

 

I took my dd to the Amen Clinic in Reston, VA in July, 2007, a few months after she nosedived. Her SPECT scan showed over-activity pervasive in the perimeter and down the middle of her brain. They call that Ring of Fire ADD, but she did not have the raging usually associated with it. After her PANDAS diagnosis, I tried to write Daniel Amen about the etiology of her Ring of Fire, but I never heard back from him. I did email the psychiatrist who treated her from his clinic and she was "stunned." whatever.

 

What was she stunned about? That your dd had PANDAS?

 

What were her symptoms when you got the scan?

 

It sure would be interesting to do a study with a whole bunch of PANDAS kids and see what their spect scans (a la Dr. Amen) would look like.

 

While I think Dr. Amen has some interesting ideas, I don't think he is tuned into PANDAS or knows anything (?) about it. At least I don't see it mentioned on his website or elsewhere.

 

Her symptoms at the time of the scan were OCD, ADD and some mood issues, but more silly, hyper active, sensory seeking. The psych thought she was bipolar at 7, but she didn't have any raging, defiant, grandiose, stuff, some grudges, intrusive thoughts.

 

My last conversation with this psych was on the phone, I was at my wits end...why weren't any of these psych meds working??? What the h@ll were we going to do??? She said to me "Jill, we are not missing anything here, that I'm sure of." That was August 09 and we had our appt with Dr. Elia that October who took one look at her and suspected PANDAS. So, perhaps some of her "stunned" was embarrassment, as it should have been.

 

I don't think Daniel Amen knows anything about PANDAS either, but he's a bit of a pioneer himself and I would love to have him look at her scans again through a different lens. I showed her SPECT scans to Dr. K at our follow-up appt who found them very interesting, similar to PET scans of our kids.

[norcalmom]

Here is a thread on this issue. I started this one, so I knew where to find it, but I'm sure there are more. Lots of interesting comments and info. My DSs handwrting is much improved since IVIG - but it was never stallar to begin with, so it still a messy little boys - the big thing is he doens't go over letters, (that were messy to begin with, and he would go over them with a messy hand again..making it illegible almost). And, MUCH better at copying form the board...he will actully come home with the homework written down on some thing, rather than a couple vague marks that we would have to try to figure out what they mean (and usually he jsut didn't copy sutff - he would try to remember - because he couldn't copy it)

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8897&st=0&p=74035&fromsearch=1entry74035