Parent
I mentioned in a previous post that a big reason I wanted to get a TS diagnosis from a neurologist is because my wife and I had a newborn son. My online research (read: Googling) suggested that while there's no comprehensive understanding of what causes Tourette's Syndrome, there's evidence that there are significant genetic factors included in having TS. I wanted to be sure I knew what I was dealing with so my wife and I could be on the lookout for early symptoms in our son.
So now we wait.
I think the worst/funniest part of this fear is that he's only 13 months old and I'm already analyzing his movements for tics. Every time he makes a sound over and over my gut reaction is, "Oh man, this is it! I passed on the curse!" Then I remember that he's 13 months old and he's probably just enjoying knowing how to make a new sound. He's been kind of growling like a really serious monster the last two or three days and not making any sort of monstery face to go along with it. It's pretty funny. None of his movements appear to be ticcy. That doesn't mean I don't get a little worried when he slams a Mega Blok down on our coffee table fifty times. Also I adore that coffee table. Really brings the room together. My wife's pick, obviously. For now, I'll keep enjoying having a little one year old whose world keeps growing day by day. Honestly, seeing him learn new stuff and acquire new skills on a near daily basis is amazing and humbling. I'm old enough that I rarely learn new skills. This guy didn't know how Mega Bloks fit together a week ago, but now all of a sudden he's making little stacks of them. Pretty neat.
My tics didn't show up till I was eight or so, but I understand they can start as early as four. I'm really hoping he dodges this particular genetic bullet, but I also understand there's a chance he won't. I'm not really sure how I'd talk to him about it. I'm still uncomfortable talking about having Tourette's with anyone who isn't my wife, parents, or brothers. I'm going to try letting my wife's family know about my TS and this blog in the coming weeks. I'm going to guess that one or two of them have already figured it out. I've been around the family for more than seven years now, and these folks don't miss a beat with the people they love. I think if our son ends up with TS, it's important for me to show him that there's no shame associated with the diagnosis. It's a difference, not a failing. Letting him see how much both sides of our family support and accept me for all my traits, Tourette's and all the rest, would hopefully give him the confidence to accept and integrate his diagnosis into his definition of self at a much younger age than I did. It didn't actually occur how important it is that I let all these people know about my TS until just writing that. It's amazing how you'll do for others what you won't do for yourself. Time to get my act together!
Just a quick one-off before I call it a night: Does anyone wonder why so many of us share tics? There's head nodding, grunting, arm-flinging, ear-popping, and a whole lot more. I feel like the only thing that should our limit tics would be our imaginations, right? Maybe Tourette's affects certain muscle groups more than others, I dunno. I wish I'd become a researcher instead of joining the Chippendales.
So now we wait.
I think the worst/funniest part of this fear is that he's only 13 months old and I'm already analyzing his movements for tics. Every time he makes a sound over and over my gut reaction is, "Oh man, this is it! I passed on the curse!" Then I remember that he's 13 months old and he's probably just enjoying knowing how to make a new sound. He's been kind of growling like a really serious monster the last two or three days and not making any sort of monstery face to go along with it. It's pretty funny. None of his movements appear to be ticcy. That doesn't mean I don't get a little worried when he slams a Mega Blok down on our coffee table fifty times. Also I adore that coffee table. Really brings the room together. My wife's pick, obviously. For now, I'll keep enjoying having a little one year old whose world keeps growing day by day. Honestly, seeing him learn new stuff and acquire new skills on a near daily basis is amazing and humbling. I'm old enough that I rarely learn new skills. This guy didn't know how Mega Bloks fit together a week ago, but now all of a sudden he's making little stacks of them. Pretty neat.
My tics didn't show up till I was eight or so, but I understand they can start as early as four. I'm really hoping he dodges this particular genetic bullet, but I also understand there's a chance he won't. I'm not really sure how I'd talk to him about it. I'm still uncomfortable talking about having Tourette's with anyone who isn't my wife, parents, or brothers. I'm going to try letting my wife's family know about my TS and this blog in the coming weeks. I'm going to guess that one or two of them have already figured it out. I've been around the family for more than seven years now, and these folks don't miss a beat with the people they love. I think if our son ends up with TS, it's important for me to show him that there's no shame associated with the diagnosis. It's a difference, not a failing. Letting him see how much both sides of our family support and accept me for all my traits, Tourette's and all the rest, would hopefully give him the confidence to accept and integrate his diagnosis into his definition of self at a much younger age than I did. It didn't actually occur how important it is that I let all these people know about my TS until just writing that. It's amazing how you'll do for others what you won't do for yourself. Time to get my act together!
Just a quick one-off before I call it a night: Does anyone wonder why so many of us share tics? There's head nodding, grunting, arm-flinging, ear-popping, and a whole lot more. I feel like the only thing that should our limit tics would be our imaginations, right? Maybe Tourette's affects certain muscle groups more than others, I dunno. I wish I'd become a researcher instead of joining the Chippendales.
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