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Firefly

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Hi everyone, this seems like a very good and active forum so I really hope I can get some answers here. We live in Australia so TS is not actually a recognised disability so unfortunately we can't seem to get any funding for our 5 year old boy at the school he's at. My husband has TS although he's never been diagnosed, it's just my assumption from motor/vocal tics that he displays. Our little boy was 2 1/2 when we first really noticed that he had a tic he'd sort of shrink into me and pull a face and growl at people, then started shoulder shrugging.

My queries are really trying to understand the difference between TS and possible OCD. The principal seems to believe that my son could have Aspergers but I feel that they want to go down this route as they'd get funding for this but wouldn't for TS. He does display behaviours that could be explained by Aspergers but then again he communicates well with others, looks you in the eye when talking and plays well with his peers. Could this still be a mild form of Aspergers? I'm also not too up on OCD but feel this explains him a little better. He suffers from anxiety and recently didn't want to go camping as the last time we went our older son was sick. He now has a phobia of people or himself being sick which has thankfully lessened in recent weeks. He doesn't seem to have rituals but is very emotional and will be the first to laugh, first to cry and first to fly into a rage.

Behaviours he has are talking in a silly voice which he's done this since he could speak, repeats things either what he's said himself or what others say and also practicing things until he gets them just right like whistling and clicking his fingers. All these things got him into trouble last year at school and I really need to understand if they are tics.

I'm finding it hard to get answers as there's a real lack of understanding in this country about TS even with the peodiatrician and doctors who just seem to read what's in the books and don't seem to look beyond. If anyone can shed any light on what could be going on with our son we'd really appreciate it. At the moment his tics are quite noticeable and his vocal tics can sometimes be continuous. He sort of does a squelching noise and was even doing this when he was eating yesterday.

Thank you for any input you have.

Kathy

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Welcome Cathy,

 

I was wondering if you are able to get Hallmark movies? There is a good one out right now about a US teacher who won an award for teacher of the year and he has TS. Our school district baught this movie to show the teachers so they could better understand TS. I also had a hard time getting help until my son's vocals were so loud I knew he could not hear instruction over his own voice. This really helped to get him special help in school.

 

I have a friend who has two boys with aspergers and even though their aspergers is different in the brothers, the one thing they do share is "social shyness." The other thing I remember is she said they were developing slow when they were young. Both boys are very very bright in math. They are 13yo and 16yo now.

 

I also gave the book by James Patterson, "Against Medical Advice" to the school special-ed teacher. she read it and really thanked me for that because it helped her to understand my TS son better.

 

Good luck,

CP

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welcome Cathy :unsure:

 

only a doctor would really be able to dx Aspergers

 

many people with TS have OCD as well and often the two blend, sometimes referred to as tourettic OCD

 

maybe start by looking at our helpful threads section pinned to the top of the board

 

I have to head out but will try to post more for you later. just wanted to welcome you for now

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Thank you so much CSP and Chemar for your replies, it means a great deal to me to know there are people out there willing and able to help a little. I myself don't believe he has aspergers as he's very sociable once he gets over his initial shyness. That being said I don't know enough about it so will take your advice and look through the information on this site. I have completed a few forms to determine if he has Aspergers and they've all come back as 'Highly Unlikely'.

 

I had a quick Google at the book and movie you mentioned CSP and managed to see Brad Cohen interviewed by Oprah a few years back. It was very moving and I'm hoping to either get the book or see the movie myself. I'm really looking forward to getting some answers here, mostly about behavioural problems at school as the tics don't seem to be causing too many problems for him at this stage. I really want to understand TS and also more about OCD and possibly ADHD as my son's paediatrician thought some of the tics were actually related to ADHD and not TS (he's still not been formally diagnosed). I can't see this is the case but I'm here to learn more. Thanks again for listened and I really look forward to hearing more from you.

Kathy

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Hi Chap, thanks for the welcome. Where are you in Oz? I did look at the TS Association Australia a while ago and they called me back and gave some great advice, in fact it was their advert on TV that prompted me in the first place to look into TS more regarding our little lad. I haven't looked for a while as they didn't have anything new for a long time but will look again now. It's nice to see some fellow countrymen on here and hope to chat with you again soon.

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Hi everyone, this seems like a very good and active forum so I really hope I can get some answers here. We live in Australia so TS is not actually a recognised disability so unfortunately we can't seem to get any funding for our 5 year old boy at the school he's at. My husband has TS although he's never been diagnosed, it's just my assumption from motor/vocal tics that he displays. Our little boy was 2 1/2 when we first really noticed that he had a tic he'd sort of shrink into me and pull a face and growl at people, then started shoulder shrugging.

My queries are really trying to understand the difference between TS and possible OCD. The principal seems to believe that my son could have Aspergers but I feel that they want to go down this route as they'd get funding for this but wouldn't for TS. He does display behaviours that could be explained by Aspergers but then again he communicates well with others, looks you in the eye when talking and plays well with his peers. Could this still be a mild form of Aspergers? I'm also not too up on OCD but feel this explains him a little better. He suffers from anxiety and recently didn't want to go camping as the last time we went our older son was sick. He now has a phobia of people or himself being sick which has thankfully lessened in recent weeks. He doesn't seem to have rituals but is very emotional and will be the first to laugh, first to cry and first to fly into a rage.

Behaviours he has are talking in a silly voice which he's done this since he could speak, repeats things either what he's said himself or what others say and also practicing things until he gets them just right like whistling and clicking his fingers. All these things got him into trouble last year at school and I really need to understand if they are tics.

I'm finding it hard to get answers as there's a real lack of understanding in this country about TS even with the peodiatrician and doctors who just seem to read what's in the books and don't seem to look beyond. If anyone can shed any light on what could be going on with our son we'd really appreciate it. At the moment his tics are quite noticeable and his vocal tics can sometimes be continuous. He sort of does a squelching noise and was even doing this when he was eating yesterday.

Thank you for any input you have.

Kathy

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Hi everyone, this seems like a very good and active forum so I really hope I can get some answers here. We live in Australia so TS is not actually a recognised disability so unfortunately we can't seem to get any funding for our 5 year old boy at the school he's at. My husband has TS although he's never been diagnosed, it's just my assumption from motor/vocal tics that he displays. Our little boy was 2 1/2 when we first really noticed that he had a tic he'd sort of shrink into me and pull a face and growl at people, then started shoulder shrugging.

My queries are really trying to understand the difference between TS and possible OCD. The principal seems to believe that my son could have Aspergers but I feel that they want to go down this route as they'd get funding for this but wouldn't for TS. He does display behaviours that could be explained by Aspergers but then again he communicates well with others, looks you in the eye when talking and plays well with his peers. Could this still be a mild form of Aspergers? I'm also not too up on OCD but feel this explains him a little better. He suffers from anxiety and recently didn't want to go camping as the last time we went our older son was sick. He now has a phobia of people or himself being sick which has thankfully lessened in recent weeks. He doesn't seem to have rituals but is very emotional and will be the first to laugh, first to cry and first to fly into a rage.

Behaviours he has are talking in a silly voice which he's done this since he could speak, repeats things either what he's said himself or what others say and also practicing things until he gets them just right like whistling and clicking his fingers. All these things got him into trouble last year at school and I really need to understand if they are tics.

I'm finding it hard to get answers as there's a real lack of understanding in this country about TS even with the peodiatrician and doctors who just seem to read what's in the books and don't seem to look beyond. If anyone can shed any light on what could be going on with our son we'd really appreciate it. At the moment his tics are quite noticeable and his vocal tics can sometimes be continuous. He sort of does a squelching noise and was even doing this when he was eating yesterday.

Thank you for any input you have.

Kathy

 

Hi Firefly

 

Hy husband has TS also and has never been diagnosed (other then by me) after reading up and learning so much on this site. Anyway, my son will also look at his peers and communicate very well with others as long as they are not strangers. He has many friends and enjoys playing with other childern. It takes him a bit to warm up to others. He is shy. He started out with eye blinking (4), lip licking and does the shoulder shrug you mention now at 7 1/2. My son has axiety and emotional problems that come and go. He is one to cry at times but then seems to had anger problems at other times. His emotions very throughout. He is a sweetheart which loves to be hugged and cuddled but then has his anger (his way or the highway). I see the same emotions with my husband. My son dwells on things also till he gets it right. Both him and my husband our perfectionists. Once my son gets on a topic he likes for example dogs, he will talk about them for a while and repeat things for days. As long as I listen he is happy. It sounds like TS to me and not aspergers.

 

Mar

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for everyone's input here. Just a follow up really and possibly a few questions about PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified). Our little boy is doing so much better at school this year, his teacher is wonderful and a stark contrast to last years teacher who wouldn't make any allowances for him at all. She's intuitive, caring and thinks outside of the box. This year he is allowed to tic, talk in a funny voice and also vocalise, although she does try to redirect him when he's a bit too vocal. He is much more relaxed at school so his tics are more evident as he's not trying so hard to mask them. This seems to make home life a little more settled too! However he finds it very difficult in certain situations, usually when he's in a large group. The Behaviour Management Consultant for our region observed him the other day and over a three minute period saw tics, vocalisations and restlessness which gave him no peace at all, it was also distracting to the other children and his teacher. They've now decided to create a special education plan for him which is amazing. He's going to have a special needs teacher twice a week and a senior child come down to take him to the library to look up his 'special interests' at least once a week. Once a fortnight the Behaviour Management Consultant will also come by to check on things.

I can't tell you how relieved I am that something is finally being done and our little boy is now getting the help he needs. The only question I have is really about PDD-NOS. I've tried the Autism/Asperger side of this forum but have had no response. I'd not really looked into this before as I put his behaviour down to TS but now realise that tics don't explain enough about what's going on with him. The Behaviour Management Consultant brought PDD-NOS to my attention and after research it seems quite likely to me that this maybe what we're looking for. Does anyone else have any experience with this? Our little boy communicates well, makes new friends and usually gives good eye contact. On the other hand he is very highly agitated at times, does not react to change at all well, has 'special interests' that will usually calm him down, reacts very quickly to stimuli, highly emotional and incredibly impulsive which can get him into a lot of trouble.

Any feedback on this would be gratefully appreciated as the school want some sort of diagnosis to get funding for him (TS is not recognised as a disability here) and he has his next paed appointment in less than two weeks!

Thanks again,

Kathy


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