Mother of a Child with Tourettes, and Behavioral Problems.

Have you had your son tested for ADHD? I have an 8 y/o that was diagnosed with tourettes as well it came shortly after his ADHD diagnosis. the violence can be a result of untreated ADHD and they have found that the two go hand in hand. A large percentage of kids diagnosed with tourettes have also been diagnosed ADHD. they use to think that the medication was causing tourettes but studies have shown that the treatments for ADHD can significantly reduce the number and severity of tics. I have finally found a medication for my son that seems to have made all of his tourette symptoms and tics go away. I expect them to return as he gets closer to puberty, but for now all we have are a few eye twitches. I would consult your neurologist and also a child psychiatrist.

Let me know if there is any way I can help. I am good at doing research.

my child is 13 now but he was 8 when he was diagnosed with tourettes,i know how you feel .my child has been haveing the same issues we have tried everything as far as discipline and the only thing that we have found is putting him in timeout,or taking his playthings away.we have gotten our son on medication now he is tolerating things alot better william is our blessing we have learned so much from him,he is a very smart little man,may i suggest that you get him into therapy they can work with him and they can give you outlets that are really helpful.just hang there i have dealt with his tourettes for five years and sometimes i want to lock myself in a closet,but all in all they are a gift from god.

Be aware of your responses to his behaviors. I am a high school teacher and I had a student w/ tourettes and other issues actually tell me that he misbehaved on purpose because he thought it was funny how his mother reacted (over-reacted). He even did an imitation of his mother for me. I'm not trying to say I think you are over-reacting, but only that it is possible your son may somehow take pleasure in upsetting you.

My daughter has Aspergers and the psychologist actually told me that the "drama" she has every time in situation X, is actually comforting to her, while distressing to the rest of us.

Tourettes can also have some form or add or adhd. The dr may what to check if he has either of there too. My kid has adhd & some of the things you describe sound like it might be a factor. The dr cant say the trouble is worse - adhd is a disorder & a child cant help it - the brain doesnt make enough of some chemicals that it needs. Med. Does help - maybe the dr didnt see it before & now it just shows more. Kids with adhd have anger issues - counceling might help for this. I hope something i said will work out for you.

My son was born 3 months early at 2 lbs. He was diagnosed cerebral palsey, add,adhd, developmentally delayed. Doctors said he may never walk or talk. He outdid all of them. His ADD is controlled with diet and medication, starting at age 6. The medication, dexedrine, calms him down and helps him focus.I was against any kind of chemical medication, but had no choice./ He had brain bleeds at birth and his neurological nerves were severed. We have a great developmental pediatrician and tons of therapists, physical, internists etc.
For the good of it all,he is 20 years old now and he graduated with honors from Malibu Hi and was on the varsity baseball team, and is attending a brand new school for sp ed people at UCLA, called Pathway. There a 17 kids in this program, all with various degrees of disabilities. Many are on medication.
Most are kids who want to succeed and are learning life skills, and how to live independently.
I know how frustrating it is to have a kid with special needs. You will get through it, he grown up fine and become a nice young man (like my son). Many of our kids with these disabilities are gifted in other ways. If you want any more information on healthy homes and healthy living, visit my website at www.healthy-communications.com

Sounds like you're doing a wonderful job- I agree with some of the other posts, this could just be a phase that all children go through. I worked with an amazing MD that had tourettes. Best of luck!

Dear C.,

At least you don't have to leave your children to 'go to work'. This is all I can tell you:
Go onto the internet and search, search, search, lots of times it takes a while to get to a good site that can give you up to date information. Also, try to find an internet parent support group, they can be your real saviors. They know it from personal experience, then you can modify their ideas that will help your son. Thanks to God tht you already know that he is a deep thinker and planner. That is a huge advantage for you. Try to find out what he truly is interested in and loves to do and get him some equipment - somehow - to do it. Also, be strong. Don't let him get the upper hand, it won't be good for anybody. Sincerely, C. N.

I don't know the age of the child but it almost sounds like he's board. often kids will act out for attention, or wanting rules. a VERY good program is "active parenting". its available online, it shows you what the child's goal is. once you find out what his goal is work with that. if he has time to be sneaky, get him involved in a sport, or extra housework, or extra homework, if you pick something he likes to do you can turn the negative energy into a positive energy. good luck!

Hello C.,
I first wonder how old your son is, as my daughter went through a huge lying phase at about 5, 6, 7, 8, 9...16, without tourettes. It is a kid phase, not necessarily a tourettes thing. My duaghters boyfriend has tourettes, which causes him to blink when he is nervous. He is very subconcious of it, but I hardley notice until he tries to look away. He does not care to interact with large crouds, such as our family gatherings, but has no problem in other large crowds like a concert.

As for the IQ, yes he has a high IQ as well. He is very smart and has a very good job working with technology. He is a hard worker (work aholic) and over achiever. He is very hard on himself and expects things to be perfect.

Does Tourettes run in your or Dad's family? Did the doctor share with you that it can be passed on to his children?

Hang in there, it is not such a bad thing. He will learn to adjust to it and all will be fine.