A tough challenge for a strong boy

Around the beginning of the school year, Josh started having some very noticeable tics. He had already had minor ones before (eye blinking mostly) but this time they were becoming more visible and severe: uncontrollable eye shifting, head jerking, loud sniffling and other facial squirms. It made my Mommy heart break.

 

I sent this video to the neurologist to get an appointment

 

I became a little paranoid over what could possibly cause them or trigger them. Everyone wondered what was going on, family, friends, karate instructor... Eventhough he had no anxiety over going to school, I wondered if he was being bullied there or if his teacher was too demanding. He was in a multi-grade class with older kids, and he was struggling for the first time. I made an appointment with his teacher (who told me she was about to contact me anyway) to discuss this sudden onset of tics. She wondered if he was under stress at home or if there had been a change of situation. I wondered the same thing about school. We were both a little defensive but obviously both of us wanted him to be ok and neither one knew what was wrong. I couldn't get him to focus on his homework. All of a sudden I was focusing on everything he struggled with and I became a nervous wreck. Our doctor didn't know where to send us but he recommended I make an appointment at the children's hospital.

I wanted him to see a neurologist but the earliest appointment I could get with a neurologist was months away, so I settled for an appointment with a psychiatrist (which was what the hospital recommended for this type of issues) and I also kept the later neurologist appointment. The psychiatrist we saw seemed to be reasonnably familiar with the problem. She told us about Tourette's syndrom and recommended we get in touch with the local association for this type of condition. She also prescribed sessions with a therapist and/or medication.

I decided for therapy and against medication, and soon we started going to Valence (over an hour away) once a week in order to see this therapist who was the only therapist recommended by the association for treating patients with Tourette in our region. By the time we had our first appointment, Joshua's tics had already improved, but we did the full 12 sessions of therapy anyway.

When we finally had our appointment with the neurologist (9 or so months later), the tics had stopped for the most part but she pretty much confirmed the prescription we had received from the psychiatrist. Both doctors said the condition is often genetic and improves as the child grows, the tics wax and wane and there is nothing much one can do except wait and provide a supporting environment.

Because of his tics, Josh had a hard time in soccer practice and school sometimes but he powered through until he eventually learned to control them. It was a difficult challenge for both of us, but I survived and he thrived. I was impressed with his resilience and strong will. He lost his "cool kid" status and was sometimes set aside but he continued to be friendly and nice to every one until things got better. It made him more sensitive to others and taught him perseverance.

Of course, in the midst of it, I had a hard time being positive about it, but it's been almost three years now (I'm this late on writing my blog) and his tics have majorly improved (he still has some but they're very subtle), so it's easier to be philosophical about it. Like always, when God let's you face a challenge, he gives you strength to overcome it.