acat
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Posts posted by acat
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The psychiatrist was the earliest appointment we could get. I was told psychiatrists are qualified to treat Tourette's. We were looking at September for a neurology appointment. We plan on seeing a neurologist of our choice as soon as we change insurance plans. We followed up with a pediatric development specialist this morning. He was not in favor of medicating her at all (unless she is bothered by them and amazingly she is not). He offered us several medication options and did not have a problem with homeschooling. Thank God there are some doctors who don't think they actually ARE God!
I'm not surprised that a psychologist would focus on the anxiety. They typically DON'T treat TS. TS is a neurological disorder and is treated by a neurologist. Why did you choose or get referred to a psychologist in the first place?ETA: Sorry, I see that you went to a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist. Psychiatrist have basically nothing to add to or do with a TS diagnosis.
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Sorry, I am looking for an opportunity to vent anonymously. We took my 9 year old daughter to a pscyhiatrist yesterday to treat her Tourette's Syndrome. The doctor at first ignored her Tourette's and focused in on her anxiety issues (which we were not there for . . .she recieves therapy for this from a social worker). He insisted we put her in school because that was the "only" thing to do with anxiety "according to the literature." This is a totally insane idea due to the severity of her Tourette's. Nevertheless, he succeeded in undermining my confidence. She has very mild autism and he attacked us for not having her in a special autism program. (Again, we were not there to address her autism which is mainly sensory issues at this point). We had talked to several professionals about an autism program for her and they felt it was overkill. Why is it not OK for a child to be silent and nervous around strangers? When I was a child it was called shyness. Today it is considered a deviation that requires medication and drastic intervention. Is there no appreciation for individual temperment and personality anymore? Yes, we are going to search for a new doctor as soon as we get on a new insurance plan. Thank you so much for letting me unload. I am also open to any suggestions you may have for dealing with doctors and Tourette's.
Andrea
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At night when he can't sleep or settle down I give him whole body pressure. He's a big kid (almost 12 and 165lbs, 5'4") so it takes alot of weight to give him some relief. A couple of ways we do this on a budget (meaning we have never gotten any OT and don't have any fancy weighted vests - no insurance to cover anything), I lay a fluffy comforter on the floor and have him roll up in it like a burrito. Then I take a big exercise ball and using my body weight for pressure I roll it up and down his body. At other times I place a large pillow between us and he lays on his stomach then I lay on top of the pillow, moving my weight as needed. This deep muscle stimulation really relaxes him and will allow him to focus better during the school or be able to go to sleep at night.
I was shocked at the cost of the weighted blanket. I actually made my own using ziploc freezer bags filled with sand. And I am a terrible sewer. Everyone has made great suggestions. Thanks!
Andrea
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It sounds like she may lack a good sense of where she is in space - the tight clothes, etc., help us know where our "edges" are, in addition to being more tactily secure. Exercise or chores that work her muscles is typically recommended. When she recieved OT, did they treat vestibular issues? How is her balance with her eyes closed? Inadequate processing of movement/vestibular input can result in a lack of a sense of stability and where we are in space, increasing anxiety and phobias. It is not uncommon for people with this issue to have nightmares of falling or near falling disturbing their sleep. Anchoring with another person in the room, the weighted blanket, etc. can make a huge difference. The lycra body sox, lycra swings/hammocks, etc., also help. An uncluttered environment with clear visual demarcations of space also helps, as they'll be more dependent on their visual system.
Really don't know if this describes your daughter, but just thought I'd toss it out as a possibility.
Hope you have a better day,
NCW
The OT mentioned at first that she did have a very underdeveloped vestibular system. She could spin in the IKEA swing forever and not get dizzy. The clutter issue is interesting though. She tears everything out of her drawers and then can't seem to find anything to wear. I am considering only leaving a few outfits at a time in the dresser.
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To "Specialmama". Sorry, I did not mean to use the thumbs down symbol. It was inadvertant. I very much appreciated your info.
Andrea
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:iagree: Walmart will be bringing out all their winter wear right now. Last year, we bought my son several long sleeve spandex-like shirts, they are made to wear under clothing for snowboarding, skiing, etc. I bought a size smaller than he is, because I wanted it to be tight. It works great. Same with weighted vests. For both of these items, try to limit their use to 20 minutes at a time, usually when you really need them to calm down and pay attention.
Have you thought of getting her some coloured glasses? Our OT brought over a case of them for my son to try. Usually sensory dysfunction will alter how we see things, so it is normal for 2 or 3 colours to be preferred. My son happened to love the blue, purple and orange glasses. They too will help calm him for about 20 minutes.
Many OT tricks can be soothing for a sensory seeker/avoider. Have you tried her in one of those Ikea bag-type swings? Most kids with sensory dysfunction LOVE those. Oh, here's another one: buy a few yards of very strong spandex from a fabric store. Lay it on the floor and have her lie down on it. Have an adult on each side pick up the ends and gently swing her in the "hammock". It will create wonderful deep pressure as the fabric gives way just enough for her weight, and the gentle rocking is calming as well. Be sure to count down. Ie: if your hand is about to fall off, say "going down in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" and slow down before gently putting them down. Stopping the hammock too suddenly could have an unsettling effect.
When my boy is in a seeking mood, he likes to play with fidget toys, in particular, sticky tack or putty. He also like sandpaper and rubbing his face on different textures.
For not sleeping, try Melatonin. You can get it at a natural food store and they can help you with dosage. It's a naturally occuring chemical in the human brain so considered safe, and Melatonin will recreate the feeling of tiredness and may help her fall asleep. For those times she does wake up, are you getting up with her? I strongly advise you not to, because that is rewarding. If she cannot be alone or trusted to be safe, then make her room safe and do what you must to keep her in the room all night long. Be it a gate, a lock, doesn't matter. You need rest or you'll go crazy. (And if people want to freak out on me for suggesting that, too bad. Live in my shoes with a child who sleeps for 3 hours a night and try to survive.) Sure, she may freak out at first, but you can put a clock in her room and explain that when the clock says 7 (or whatever) then it's time to come out and have breakfast. With special needs kids, we *must* find a way to help them sleep or at least find a way that we can while they are safe. It is no lie that our lives especially hinge on this one need.
As for the being followed, I wholeheartedly agree. She needs to be seen by a pediatric psychologist and a pediatric neurologist.
I have tried most of these things, but have not done the colored glasses or the hammock. We do use melatonin (which works after we determined she was spitting it out behind her bookshelf) We run into problems with sleep now when the doctor raises her medication. I also will try to find some tight shirts or leotards. She is scheduled to see the therapist today.
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Hi,
I am at my wits end with my almost 9 year old daughter's sensory issues. She was discharged from Easter Seals a year ago so I can get no help there. Since I started homeschooling for the first time a few weeks ago, we have had a huge resurgence of under-responsivity behaviors. Basically, her clothes all feel way to loose. It is so bad that she cries every morning and has to be forcibly dressed so that we can leave the house. Tonight, she could not find pajamas that fit and went to bed in a robe sobbing the whole time. I put a weighted blanket on her to see if it would stop the tears. On top of that, she can't find sneakers that feel OK and is still wearing ragged flip-flops. We are brushing using the Willaberger technique. We have also tried giving her consequences to no avail (this tactic has never worked but we still try it). She is very thin and it is nearly impossible to find clothes that are tight enough.
The doctor that treats her PDD-NOS recommended upping her anti-anxiety med which usually results in no sleeping or eating for her. He felt this was a chemical issue and not the result of the change to homeschooling (I gather he is pro-homeschooling or that would have been the first thing he blamed). Nevertheless, I have changed out some of our curriculum and my approaches based on her stress response.
Can anyone share some tactics they have used for this issue with their own kids? :confused::confused::confused:
I also wanted to add that she is complaining she feels as if someone is following her. (Someone she can't see) She is afraid to be alone outside or downstairs because of this. Has anybody else heard of this happening outside the realm of true psychosis? Thanks
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I think I meant to say the Yellow book, not the Orange. I'm getting so confused by all these colors. Thanks for your help!
Andrea
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Hi,
I am considering starting my 8 and 10 year old girls on LLATL. My 5th grader will do fine with the purple book and the readers fit in with our focus this year. I think my 3rd grader needs more foundation in grammar before attempting the 5th grade book. I do not what to read the books in the orange level because they are well below her reading and comprehension level. Is it possible to do the grammar portion of the program without using the recommended readers? Or should I consider another grammar program for her and use the purple book's readers along with the 5th grader? Thanks in advance for your advice.
Andrea
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I never made the connection until I saw this posting. My 9 year old had stopped chewing on her shirt and hair and picking at her skin after we started magnesium for her migraines. We used "Kid Calm" which is a powder you must mix with water.
Wendi -Have you ever tried magnesium supplementation with your son? My son was always putting things in his mouth and chewing and would take the front of his shirt and ball it up and chew it until it had holes in it. Giving him a magnesium supplement made this behavior totally disappear. It's been years since I started this, so I don't remember the reasoning behind it, but it really made a difference for him.
Lisa
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I ordered this book at the advice of someone from Rainbow Resources. My ten year old is not on the spectrum, but she does have visual spatial issues. The book is a "connect-the-dots" version of technical drawing. My daughter seems to enjoy it.
Also, I think horseback riding has helped her, since she has to memorize patterns and ride to different lettered points in the barn. My other daughter, who was diagnosed PDD-NOS/Selective Mutism, has derived huge benefits from horseback riding ranging from social to increased bladder control.
Andrea
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I just go the Singapore Math set and it is great. I let her do the first lesson, and before I knew it she had completed four lessons on her own. She was adamant that she didn't want or need manipulatives so I avoided MUS. I may look into it for my math phobic older daughter if Saxon doesn't work out. Thanks for your input!
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Hi,
I am new to the group and starting HS this August with two girls, inlcuding an 8 year old with high functioning autism. I am looking for a math program for the 8 year old.
I believe she is a visual learner, but I don't think she learns well with videos. Her second grade teachers tells me she completes her math assignments in minutes with a high degree of accuracy and is then bored. Word problems are harder for her. My older daughter will need more direct help with math, so I would like to find a program that allows the 8 yo more independent work and keeps her moving at a fast pace.
Also, my highly verbal ten year old scored very low in visual spatial abilities. Anybody have suggestions there?
Glad to be a part of this forum. Thanks!
Andrea
Tourette's Diagnosis & frustrated with doctors
in The Learning Challenges Board
Posted
Interesting. Almost our entire family is gluten intolerant/celiac. Wonder if we should remove dairy too? Our acupuncturist said most kids can tolerate dairy, but it could make her particular pattern worse.