New To TS

[lovemy3kids]

I am a new member hoping to get some insight. My son is 10 years old was diagnosed with TS from a neurologist in this past fall. Leading up that that over the summer my son was put on a medication (Focalin) for his ADHD (Inattentive type) and developed "tics" consisting of facial movments, shoulder shrugging, head jerking, slurred speech and therefore not seeing this before I actually took him to the ED where I was told that I should follow up with Neuro. Previous to this past summer my son has dispalyed tics before from the 1st grade when I look back at it all. I remember concerns around him blinking all the time, but an eye exam ruled out anything, and from 2nd to 4th grade things progressed. However, things such as nose twicthcing, throat clearing, barking, walking on all fours, nail biting, all of a sudden not being able to sleep by himself, to constantly trying to scare people with "boo", to crying when I would leave the house would all be attributed to him being "immature, being a boy, his silly personality to acting out due to my divorce with his dad". I think the tics have been there and I just never put two and two together. Oh and his handwriting has gotten so bad. Actually, his performance as school has come way down to where he can't even write a sentence and the teachers always seem to find joy in showing me the erasers, papers, and other items he has "destryoed" from poking holes in, chewing, marking all over etc. My son has a long history of strep throat and other health issues that could have killed him. I guess PANDAS could be a possibility, but am not sure how the ped. will take it when I present info to him. I am not new to advocating and researching, since both my boys have a long medical history, but knowing my sons' ped and Neruo I think they will think I am crazy. In the midst of all this, I am dealing with Autism, LKS variant in my younger one and the boys' health issues as well. Just hoping to get some insight. Maybe it is just TS.

 

Thanks

[Chemar]

Hi and welcome,

 

with the behaviors/illness you describe for the 10yo coupled with his strep history I would say it is good that you have posted this to the PANDAS forum as well. The parents there can give you info on how to consult with PANDAS physicians by email/phone who will be able to then consult with your own doctors to educate them on what PANDAS is and why your child does seem to possibly fall into this category. He may well have TS as well, but that doesnt rule out a dual diagnosis of PANDAS too