My Son With Tourette Syndrome Writing About Regrets
Larry Teich: As Latitudes.org has shown us for so many years, Tourette syndrome may cause some limitations, or expose personal differences, but there’s always hope for positive outcomes and a brighter future with love, support, and reliable information.
My son Kevin was diagnosed with Tourette’s at age eight after a year of inexplicable behavior and mannerisms. He had to endure the nonacceptance of those around him in school, and later when working at jobs.
At that time, information on this condition was minimal, options for treatment were very limited, and social awareness was practically nil.
Still, sometimes there are benefits to having a brain that is overactive and a mind that is oversensitive. Kevin plays numerous musical instruments and can learn complicated pieces by ear and by concentrating on the music. He can also compose insightful poetry as he looks back on his own experiences. With his permission, I’m sharing a poem Kevin recently wrote about himself at 42. As a parent, it’s painful to recall what he went through. But I’m so very proud of Kevin for the person he has become.
That was beautiful, as a woman of 4 sons who all have Tourettes (myself diagnosed at Tulane hospital in New Orleans at age 7) can appreciate this. I never wanted my sons to be in the hands of doctors so I may have made some mistakes but they are thriving but do know that they are different in many ways but that includes many good qualities!
I do believe that the overuse of vaccines harm infants and people who are still growing and can mess up the gut microbiome and in turn mess up people’s neurological systems as they are still forming. The heavy metals will harm people. I’ve learned that doctors don’t know enough about nutrition. Be very selective if you even take any vaccines.
This really hit me. TS can mess up kids lives in so many ways. Thank you Kevin and your Dad for sharing this. I’m glad you came out at the other end in a good way. I know my son could have taken the wrong path many times (in fact sometimes did.) It must have been even harder years ago. Keep going strong.
Any advice for our son of 28 who can’t seem to finish college or stick with a job. We don’t know whether he’s lazy unmotivated, or what to do with him, and we have tried everything to help him. He lies all the time so we don’t get angry when he quits another job. He must’ve had 20 to 30 jobs already and quit all of them with them three months. We are really struggling!
I am on SSI benefits (supplemental security income). I was the same way that I could get jobs, but could not keep them going because of my neurology and Tourette‘s Tics. Your son is probably not lazy. He is just probably having a hard time holding jobs that make demands that are impossible to meet to people with Tourette’s. He is probably very disappointed and ashamed. I don’t know your situation, but it seems like he would be a good candidate for SSI benefits, which give you a monthly income check, and Medicaid health insurance, which is free. Contact ssa.gov and apply immediately to get the process going. It can take a long time before they grant him the benefits, but they give you backpay from the moment you first apply so it’s important to apply immediately. You can also get a lawyer to help you with the process who does not get paid unless they win your case and then they take their pay out of the backpay I mentioned so it’s a win-win situation. Getting SSI Will take the burden off your family and give you a buffer of money and good health insurance and take the pressure off him having to work. Good luck.
Thank you so much Kevin. So it’s the tics that keep you from holding down the job? His tics don’t seem to bother him that much. It’s more the OCD and the attention deficit that I think is standing in his way. I really wanna understand what’s going on and I’m just so confused about it all he can’t really describe to me why he keeps quitting all these jobs and quitting school so basically I was trying to understand maybe from your point of you.
More power to you, Kevin! Awesome poem.
my son overcame many challe ges. It wasn’t easy and he too made some wrong choices. with a strong support group he pulled thru. I will share it with friends.
thank you from our family!!
I am Kevin‘s mother. I am totally proud of the human being that he is. I have made this journey with him and Will to the end of my life, while at the same time keeping him in charge of his own life now that he is grown. I so appreciate that his father, Larry, has been involved with latitudes for many years and thought to involve Kevin in this project. Kevin is a beautiful poet and songwriter. But he is an even mor beautiful man.
That is such an inspiring message, Tana! Just beautiful. Larry has been a great help for Latitudes publications, sharing insights and advice over the years. I’ve now enjoyed having a chance to “meet” Kevin through his poem and comments!