Question
101: Hey remember me R., from the tourrette presentation and
the tourrette group? So, are you planning to make Canada’s second
tourrette clinic? Tourrette’s hasn’t even gotten around
to Microsoft; I checked the spelling and grammar (If I spelled it wrong,
cause it’s underlined by red) and no Tourrette’s! You should
get them to put it in there dictionary, because “YOU HAVE THE
POWER”, lol (lots of laughs). My Tourrette’s recently slowed
down, but then it went speedy again, it’s weird. My Tourrette’s
are barely noticeable, what’s it like to have a vocal tick? I
just have movement tick’s, no vocal’s. The weird thing is
my tick’s came from throat infection’s, then once we removed
my Tonsil’s it started about a month or two after. I just don’t
understand how that could give me Tourrette’s. We’ll type
back soon C,yah!!! R.P., MB, Canada.
Question
98: 4 days ago [my son] was playing hockey and had an accidental
collision with a player from the other team. They were both knocked
off their feet and a little shaken. It was near the end of the second
period. After the game I noticed [my son] do his tongue tic which he
hasn't done since school started. I didn't say anything to [him] however
he mentioned it to me that it was weird since the third period he started
his tongue tic! This is now the second time this has happened to [him]
after a hit in hockey, he seems to develope a tic. Is this possible?
I'm wondering if I should start keeping track of these? Take care, J.S.,
MB, Canada.
Question
81: My
9 year old has just been diagnosed with TS that seemed to have come
on immediately, within a month or two, after taking Concerta for his
ADHD (which he has always had). He has severe motor tics, some vocal
and severe OCD now. My question to you after reading your response to
question 7 where you say “an area of the brain that is involved
in inhibiting "incidental associations" made between different
motor movements (like, say, walking through a doorway and blinking simultaneously)
is not functioning properly in individuals predisposed to TS. Therefore
common actions (such as eye-blinking) become "connected" to
a great number of regular activities, resulting in what we call tics
(in this case, an eye-blinking tic).” Doesn’t seem to make
sense in my son’s case in which he has complex motor tics such
as he raises his arms up to the height of his ears, closes his eyes,
smiles and shakes his head violently. This seems to have nothing to
do with “regular activities” of any kind. Please help me
to understand this very unfortunate thing that has happened to my child.
Thank you. R., CO, USA.
Response
Question
74: I was....wondering something about coprolalia. I understand
there is an average age where children develop coprolalia - somewhere
around 12-14, is that correct? Do children who develop this learn the
swear words from what they hear or is it a natural vocal tic that causes
them to swear. I guess what I'm wondering is if children who have tourettes
hear swearing and develop coprolalia are they more likely to swear?
Should a person be cautious about swearing around someone with TS? JS,
MB, Canada
Response
Question
48: Hi, This is T.P....I went to your presentation in Edmonton.
I was wondering, at college we are doing a presentation on tics. One
of our first questions is all about the dophamine [sp] in the brain.
Someone in our group would like to know if there is a difference between
a tic and the dophamine [sp] in the brain with person A(with tourettes)
and person B (without Tourettes, but has a nervous facial tic). Our
presentation is just TICS and behavior and we are curious on how the
brain works during a tic between person A and B. If you can help me
this would be wonderful. T.P., AB, Canada.
Response
Question
24: I am a female from Singapore and I am 29 years old. I have
been diagnosed with TS since I was 8 years old. Since then I have been
on Haloperidol, now about 4.5mg per day. What are the side effects of
taking Haloperidol for life in the long run? What is the link between
Parkinson's disease and TS? Please help because in Singapore there is
so little knowledge and awareness of TS. I saw ten doctors before I
was fianlly diagnosed. C.G., Singapore.
Response
Question
22: My son is 5yrs old and he blinks or squints his eyes very
fast several times in a row constantly. He also clears his throat and
twitches his nose when he is doing the eye thing. Also he always has
a spot on top of his head where the hair is broken off from him pulling
and twisting it in his fingers. I really haven' t been able to determine
a pattern for all of these things because he does it so often, but I
do think he seems to do it more when he is tired, nervous or upset.
Could this be TS?
Also
I think that it may be worth mentioning that the day that the eye blinking
first occured....one of the children had hit him in the head with a
toy gun....We went and picked him up and went to the eye doctor, thinking
that he could have scratched his eye. They couldn't find anything wrong
with his eye. The next day I took him to his pediatrician because he
was still blinking and he did have a visable but not significannt place
on his head behind his ear. Once again I was told that he was fine and
to use visine....Now it is about two years later and he is still twitching
and has added nose twithing, head to shoulder motions and he pulls his
hair....could a trauma produce or mimic the symptoms of TS? Tennessee,
USA.
Response
Question
11: Thank-you Duncan for your response to my question concerning
our son's sleep disorder. You mentioned quite a few useful things. I
had wondered about behavior modification for TS. But the pediatric neurologist
that Chase our son sees says that there really is no way to turn the
motor off in Chase's brain so easily. I had mentioned to the doctor
the idea of getting an aquarium for our son's bedroom in hopes to help
relax him at bedtime. He said that we could try but not to hang our
hopes on it.
Are
the sleep clinics familiar with treating a sleep disorder associated
with TS? [Our neurologist] has had to remind me of the physialogical
nature of this disorder on more than one occassion. Reminding me of
an actual problem with neurotransmitters and the tics not being emotionally
induced.....[Our neurologist] is also very conservative with the meds.
He doesn't want Chase treated for his tics unless he is hurting himself
or unable to be productive. And none of those have occurred so presently
he only takes something for bedtime. We too would like to keep him on
little meds as possible or none at all.
God
Bless you and the ministry that you offer to us folks. You have a gift.
Don't give it up. Sincerely, S.H., Texas, USA.
Response
Question
7: I listened to your presentation today and thought you were
excellent- thanks for sharing and informing!! Why does Tourrette's only
surface at around 5 years old...what do the younger kids do to indicate
that they will be going in that direction and is there any parenting
method to help???
K.A.S., Ontario, CA
Response
