Tic tic tic

At the beginning of the year we finally got a diagnosis about Ian's tics.  Here is some info with some things I've learned.

So what is a tic? The doctor said it best, it is like an itch on your body.  You just need to scratch the itch, you can stop it if you are thinking about it, but as soon as you stop you do it anyway. The mind sends signals to a part of your body that it needs to blink, and you do it.  However, it's not the same as OCD; if you don't blink the brain doesn't obsess over it, but will just send another signal later to blink.
 I suspected that he had some form of tic disorder.  The range of tics goes from a mild (simple tic, like eye blinking) tic that goes away in a couple of months to scary neurological problem that mean something much worse. The diagnosis is that he has Tourette Syndrome, which consists of a simple tick, a complex tic (a combination of two simple movements) and a vocal tic (throat clearing, grunting) that has been present for more then 2 years.  It's a more severe form of tic disorder, but thankfully not a life changing brain condition. 

I have been told a number of times that people would never have noticed that he has Tourette's, but that seemed so silly, he tics all the time.  However, I think that many people misunderstand the condition.  It's portrayed on TV and movies as some funny social inappropriate behavior.  Most media outlets focus on the coprolalia, which is a vocal tic that causes involuntary swearing or derogatory remarks.  Only a very small number of people with Tourett's have this vocal tic and it's not present in 6 year olds! So yes my little guy doesn’t say bad words, there is a chance that he will some day, but not because of his Tourette’s!

The truth is that people don't see it because they do not know what to look for.  There are as many tics as there are people in the world, and each person is different.  Just because you knew someone with Tourette’s doesn't even mean that you could recognize it in someone else.  Tourette’s is usually the worst during the teen years, so we expect that it will increase for Ian. But for lots of people as they reach adulthood it becomes less frequent and sometimes goes away.  Tourette’s is often paired with other compulsion disorders like OCD, or ADD.  So far Ian doesn't show signs of either disorder.  Jason on the other hand... (Maybe that's another blog post)
 Did I do this to him? Short answer is, maybe, but Matt too.  There is a greater likelihood for children to have Tourette’s if a parent has a family history (CHECK) or another compulsion disorder, like OCD (CHECK).  So the poor kids never had a chance!

He doesn't have a condition that will hurt him physically, but emotionally and socially it can be awkward.  Our goal is to let him be in a home where he feels comfortable to tic, but where he can talk to us about it.  The years ahead may be harder, especially during the rough adolescent years where you are judged for not fitting in.

We are so lucky to have a boy who is happy, healthy, smart and so loving.  I am so glad that I have a diagnosis for him.  I can't take it away, and for now it doesn't bother him much, but there will be a time that he won't want it.  I don't want to minimize the trials that this will be for him, but I am grateful that I can understand a little bit, educate others, and be thankful that for now, this really isn't a big deal!  I am also staggeringly aware of my friends who are parents of kids with extra care and needs.  I hope they know that others understand the sturggle and the blessings that their children are.  I am glad I have time to write some of my feelings and if you made it though this really boring post, maybe you even learned something. We may have some bumps in our road, but we are glad to take it, and I hope that he knows that he's not alone.