The Neurologist Suspects Tourette Syndrome

The neurologist appointment today went well.  She spent about an hour with me discussing everything I had been saving up over the past year.  I forgot how extremely nice she was.  Anyways after watching him and explaining how his normal stimming is (slow repetitive movements, looks like he is on drugs) and comparing to his new rapid head movements, when his facial expressions change and everything, she feels that it is probably the onset of Tourette Syndrome.  She said the condition usually starts at this age and due to the rapid, not soothing nature of the movements she felt it was Tourette's.  She did not diagnose him because I was unable to tell her if he has any verbal tics.  He has a lot of repetitive sounds that have no meanings, but that is probably just stimming.  She told me that verbal tics are normally sounds made in the throat or heavy breathing or clicking.  I will look for that, but either way there is no treatment or cure.  Sounds so familiar.  Anyways she said that his head movements look like stereotypical "tics" which is what another pediatrician told me as well.  The bright side to this is that no medication or further action is needed.  She was positive it wasn't seizures and since he isn't acting like his head hurts she didn't feel like it was a more serious brain condition. 

Jacob was a nightmare in the waiting room.  It's like he knew we were at the neurologist and decided to put on a show.  He was jerking his head all around screaming repetitive sounds and running in circles and then opening and shutting doors about a hundred times.  He even grabbed a little girl and wouldn't let go.  It was bad.  I felt sad for him.  I kept trying to pull him out of it, but he was really worked up.  Then I had to fill out those dumb forms about his milestones.  Seriously, at what point do they stop making me fill out forms that don't pertain to him at all?  Its frustrating.  If anyone is wondering what the typical 30 month evaluations look like I took a couple pics.  I wanted Cret to see what Jacob is supposed to be doing according to the age appropriate forms they give us. In response to question "Are you concerned that your child isn't speaking as well as the other children their age?" I just wrote "He doesn't speak".  I tried to laugh about it instead of getting all sad.  Still is sad though.  As we were about to go into the office another child came in.  She was severely handicapped.  She couldn't move at all and was strapped in to her wheelchair and was making really loud noises.  I watched as everyone stared at her and her mom just put on a brave face.  I wanted to just give her a big hug.  Man, its so easy to be so sad and worked up when I am so focused on me and on Jacob.  We have it so good, don't we?  I just thought to myself, "I have to get out of this funk and change my focus and just give it God".

  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV)