To tic or not to tic...that is the question...

Last week, we started Skipper on some new medication. It is a heavy duty medicine and I really think it is making a difference. 

If you asked me 8 years ago if I would ever opt to medicate my child I would have looked at you as if your were a crazy person. However, that was 8 years ago......

About a week ago, I told Mr. Dad that I felt like we were losing Skipper. He just wasn't the kid we knew. Whoever had come and replaced him was a mean, moody, ticking, obsessing child. I was very hurt and I felt like he was slipping away right in front of our eyes. But I think that we have turned a corner. He seems happier and less moody and seems to have a longer fuse than we have seen in a long time. I hope that this holds to be true. He is a lot more fun to be around now! Please pray that this continues!!

However, with that being said...since a lot of you reading go to church with us or are part of our family.... please be patient with him. Especially if you are someone who has frequent contact with him. His tics are in a transition period right now he is changing his tics. He is jumping, kicking his back-end with his heels, sniffing and blinking - a lot. He does not do it on purpose...I promise it is not for attention. He would LOVE to stop it. He may ask you for a break from the activities...if he does, this is his way of needing to tic, but not wanting to do it in front of all the kids. He just needs a minute or 2 outside the area where he can jump or jerk or what ever he may need to do. His obsessing is also not under control yet. He can go on and on and on...know that is is ok to gently remind him that he has already told you whatever it might be. The tics are worse when he is stressed or anxious. He is also having compulsions...he is needing to touch things a certain number of times or step over certain things. So know that bringing attention to him or the tics will only make things worse.

We have talked with him about people who are on his "team". These are people (mostly adults) that he trusts enough to let them in on his diagnosis. We have told him that the people on his team can help him when he is having a hard time and they are people he can talk to ...he is choosing who is on his team...for the most part. So please know that he is trying very hard to work with all of this and he is struggling A LOT and on a very deep level. He is not doing any of it to annoy or aggravate you...he would gladly stop if he could. It would be like you trying not to blink...you can do it for a while, but eventually, you are going to have to blink..he can hold his tics for a little while, but they are going to come out-sooner or later. 

With all he has going on, it really is a gift to be a part of his life. Please feel free to ask questions. I will do my best to answer them if I can.

God's blessing to you...