TS Searches

The past few months I've been keeping a close eye on my blog statistics. I've been particularly interested in what brings people to my blog. Like the rest of you, I've had some bizarre search words. I'll post the weirdo searches later.

Most of my search hits are legitimate. I get very few ordinary homeschool hits. I get a LOT of homeschool tourettes, homeschool ADD, and homeschool OCD hits. I also get a lot of hits from the TS webrings I belong to. In addition, many people exit my blog by clicking on the TSA link in my sidebar. Several of these "lurkers" have returned to read my archives. This makes me happy. That's what I'm here for; to share our experiences with TS, OCD, ADD, Executive Dysfunction, and Dysgraphia.

This post is dedicated to answering the questions my "searchers" have asked.

pictures of real tourettes kids: Any kid will do. Seriously. Viewing pictures of Z would NEVER indicate that he has TS. A video, on the other hand...
While attending school, Z became a master of inhibiting his tics. Anyone who has dealt with TS knows this is NOT a good thing! Sooner or later, the tics "release". Z could usually control his release until he got home. Sometimes his tics would explode at school, which would embarrass him, creating anxiety and anger....not a pretty sight. Releasing his tics at home could take up to an hour, which wasted valuable homework time.
Inhibiting tics at school also makes teachers doubt the TS diagnosis. All they see are the resulting behaviors(anger, frustration), which they attribute to bad parenting.

baby "shaking head" neurological: Get a referral to a pediatric neurologist NOW! Is this TS? Maybe, but there are many things this could be. Ask the experts, trust your gut instincts, observe your child, and PRAY that you will find a doctor who is knowledgable about your child's problems.
We were lucky. Our one-and-only local psychiatrist correctly diagnosed Z with TS. He had never dealt with TS before. Neither had ANYONE within 300 miles of us! This included the closest(150 miles) pediatric neurologist. The neurologist's solution was to experiment with a variety of drugs, to see if any of them worked on Z....they didn't.
Out of necessity, I've become the foremost authority on TS in northern MN. Trial and error has taught us a lot. TS is different in every person. Know your child and find what works!

tourettes rewired: Yes, there is a surgery that "rewires" the brain of TS patients with debillitating tics. This surgery seems successful, but it's still in the experimental phase. They're not sure how long the "rewiring" job will last. This surgery is only for the worst cases; those who are unable to perform normal functions, such as eating, speaking, driving, or even walking.
We would NEVER consider this surgery for Z! Neither would we consider medication, at this point. Z's tics can often be annoying, distracting, or sometimes funny. But 99% of the time, they don't bother Z at all. Don't EVER be embarrassed by your child's tics!! This will only create anxiety in your child, and anxiety worsens tics. Tics are part and parcel of your child's identity. Do you REALLY want to change your child's personality? We don't!

tourette's oil: Huh?! This is a new one to me, so I did a search. The only results were for aromatherapy and Omega 3 oils. Z has been taking flaxseed oil for over a year; we all have. I'm not sure if it helps, but it can't hurt. I've also been adding whole flaxseed to most of my baked goods. There are a lot of health benefits associated with Omega 3s, so if it also helps TS, all the better!
We have also dabbled a bit with aromatherapy, especially lavender. Lavender is supposed to soothe anxiety. I'd like to step this therapy up a bit, but...sometimes teenaged boys can have an aversion to smelling like lavender. ;)

tourettes and caffeine: I've had numerous hits on this subject. I came across a study on caffeine and ADD, about a year ago. The study stated that caffeine could sharpen attention in anyone. Start with the lowest dose possible, as our bodies develop an immunity to caffeine. When this happens, slowly increase the dose. Do NOT give ADD kids caffeine late in the day, as it might interfere with their sleep patterns.
Z has been having a glass of Diet Mt. Dew with his breakfast. It has helped. Why diet? We've found that high fructose corn syrup wreaks havoc with Z's tics and attention span. We also avoid food dyes, especially RED.
This leads to the question of food allergies. A few studies have proved that SOME patients have wheat allergies, which can mimic TS. This led to scores of parents, who eliminated wheat from their TS child's diet. The results? Miserable families with food cravings. This process is very time consuming and expensive. I've read these family's experiences. Sometimes tics worsened as a result of the stress created by their cravings.
Once again, KNOW your child. If tics seem to worsen after your child indulges in certain foods, try removing the offending food. There's a LOT of trial and error when dealing with TS.

noises throat ocd: Sounds like a tic to me. However, go to your doctor. Your doctor will be able to diagnose other causes for this behavior. If it continues, see a psychiatrist or neurologist.

if i have tourettes should i have a child: That's a TOUGH one! TS is an inherited disorder. You'll need to discuss this with your future mate. Z has thought about this several times. So far his decision is that there are a lot worse things that can happen to a child. In the future, this will be a tricky decision for Z and his mate to make.

ocd child homeschool: Sounds like a good idea to me. The school isn't sensitive to quirks in your child that could develop into full-blown OCD behaviors, with an accompanying compulsion. You need to nip the quirks in the bud by having your child face their unreasonable fears. This requires a LOT of time and patience. The more times the child faces their fears, the sillier their obsession becomes to them. They eventually will realize that nothing bad will happen if they don't obsess about their fear.
If your child's obsessions have acquired an accompanying compulsion, they will have concentration and frustration problems in the classroom. Their anxiety, over the need to perform their compulsion, will override the lessons being taught.

tourette's titties
girls with tourette home videos: Searches like this enrage me!! There are a LOT of sickos out there who think The Tourette's Guy videos are hilarious. Many of these sickos have infiltrated TS message boards and chat rooms, hoping to get some laughs. When they are put down for their voyeurism, they get nasty and vicious.
FYI: It hasn't been proven that The Tourette's Guy has TS. The experts think that he is merely a foul-mouthed alcoholic. IF the "Guy" has TS, he has copralalia. Copralalia causes the person to blurt out inappropriate words, phrases, or sentences. Copralalia only occurs in 1 of 10 TS patients. People with this disorder are mortified by their behavior and often become homebound, for fear of offending others. If this amuses you, maybe YOU are the one who needs psychological help!
This doesn't mean that people with TS and OCD don't have a sense of humor. Z enjoys watching Monk. Monk's disabilities are portrayed in a realistic manner. Z recognises a few of Monk's behaviors in himself, and freely admits how ridiculous they are. Laughter can be a good therapy.

TS is a REAL disability, and is listed as such in the Americans With Disabilities Act. This CAN open some doors for your child, especially in school. Unfortunately, you'll have to fight the "powers that be" every step of the way, to open those doors. The fight is often too costly and time consuming to bother with. That's why we homeschool.

To all of you "searchers" who have lurked on this blog, feel free to contact me by email. My address is on my profile page, which can be accessed by clicking on the link under my avatar. If you're a registered blogger, please comment. Sorry, but I had to disable anonymous comments as a result of a couple of mean-spirited "trolls".