Guest guest Posted November 6, 2008 Report Share Posted November 6, 2008 I'm glad he is doing better, . What an awful experience. Boy, that is the million dollar question. . What is OCD, and what is teen. lol You would think it could be simple and they might be able to tell you, once they are able to recognize their OCD symptoms, but for our son, some of it has been there so long that it has become habit, and it can be a little tricky figuring it out when it's something that has been a part of them, their whole life. There is a DigiPen Institute, that has an online website. Here is the link . . . https://www.digipen.edu/ I'm not sure if they offer classes over the internet, but suspect if they did, it would be after high school. Josh is taking them through a vocational high school, that offers them to 11th and 12th graders. They can earn college credits from the classes. We are homeschoolers and were never able to find any computer programming classes for younger kids (over the years - very frustrating), although our son had a passion for it at a young age. He started teaching himself at 7 years of age. Since we were never able to find classes, he taught himself from books. There is always that, as an option. If you are interested, I can ask our son what books might be helpful for you son. Let me know. Sorry you had a bad <health> day, . <:o/ I will send the therapist questions to your private email. Hugs, BJ > > Hi BJ, > Things are so much better. He is back to his old self. Gosh that was a > terrible experience. > The Clonidine is actually a blood pressure med, but they use it for > Tourettes. He just had a bad reaction to it. She said he was the first kid that ever > responded that way. > > We've decided to hold off on TS med, since he can control the tics. > > We've not deiced what to do about the OCD. That is actually giving him more > problems that the TS. it really slows him down, although he is almost 12, so > how much of slow is OCD and how much is pre teen? > > We've got an appt with a Dr Dec 22 with the ped neurologist. We decided to > do this since he never had a full neurological exam. > > Today was so much better, I hope you had a great day BJ, > > You know I didn't realize how mild Micah's tics were until I saw (with the > help of Clonidine) what they could be. > > Hope you're having a good migraine day, storms moving across the Midwest, > spent the day in bed today, > but better tonight. > > Digi Pen classes.....Micah would love that. I'm going to check into for him. > > ERP/CBT......I have soooooo much to learn!! > > I'm guessing he's hoarding....clothing tags, thread, pencil tips, empty > water bottles. He says they have meaning to him, but they're trash, so I'm > guessing that falls into the hoarding category. > > Interviewing therapist.....it would be so great if you could send me the > list of questions you used. I have no idea what to ask them. > > > Thanks for all your help and kind words BJ, and the hugs!! I sure needed > them. It means a lot! > > > > Mom to Micah 11 (Tourette Syndrome and OCD), 23, 30 > And Grandma to Chloe 6, Colton 5, Greta 2, and 3mos. > > > > > > In a message dated 11/3/2008 9:00:02 P.M. Central Standard Time, > BJClosner@... writes: > > Oh, <heavy sigh>, I got tears in my eyes thinking of what your > poor son is going through. It breaks my heart. No wonder you spent > all weekend in tears. (((((you))))all weekend in tears. (((((you > little. > > Why did the doc take him off of that medication? I'm not familiar > with it,. .Is it for TS? > > Our son's tics are minor in comparison. Some vocal stuff, mostly . > .throat clearing, quiet grunts, sometimes quiet squeaks. The docs, > over the years, have come up with different diagnosis', so not sure > what to believe. Some said TS, others said OCD tics. <shrug> Not sure. > > It is frustrating how long the wait can be to get into someone who > specializes in the treatment of OCD. I remember that wait. . It > seemed forever. > > That is GREAT news that your husband is doing some reading. It will > help him to understand. Yay! > > I hear you, on the migraine thing. I try to just lie down in a dark > room and ride them out, since even cutting a Vicadin into pieces and > taking a quarter can make my heart act up. Unfortunately, they don't > always hit when I'm at home and can take that option. That's when I > try to head them off with the Vicadin and ride out the heart stuff. > Okay. . Eeeeeek to the hair falling out thing! I would quit that med too. > > You know, with the health stuff, you just do the best you can, as I'm > sure you know. Life seldom turns out how you think it might. Took me > some time to develop that attitude, but it's easier to deal with that > way. Have you tried any physical therapy? I see a PT for my Fibro > and my left sided weakness. She does some cranial manipulations that > seem to help with the migraines. Just a thought. > > Oh, that is so cool, . My Josh loves video games and has been > teaching himself programming since he was 7. He is now 16 and taking > some classes through a vocational school that offers DigiPen classes, > where he receives college credits. The DigiPen Institute is a school > that teaches game programming. ) He loves it! And with his > analytical OCD mind, it works with it, instead of against it. > > ERP is exposure and response prevention. It is part of CBT (cognitive > behavioral therapy). It is a specific type of therapy where they are > exposed to those things that cause them to do rituals. They gain > control over the ritual that way, and it can make the need to do it go > away. It desensitizes them to it. It can literally make physical > changes to the brain, by doing the therapy (since OCD is a > neurobiological disorder). We went to therapists for years, who tried > many things, but none of it helped. It is also the only proven > therapy to work with OCD. This is the only thing that has helped our > son. He also had problems with lining up drawers, etc. When he first > saw the therapist, they made a hierarchy list of all his rituals. Then > they put them in order from least bothersome to most upsetting. They > started at the bottom of the list and worked their way up. They gain > confidence as they overcome the easier stuff, so they can take on the > harder stuff. For instance, our son would constantly check drawers to > make sure they were shut. His exposure homework was to leave drawers > ajar throughout the house. He had to tolerate them, and sometimes he > would even groan out loud (for the first couple of days), but > eventually, he ceased to care. It's amazing! > > I wonder if Micah likes the feeling when he does his > rituals/compulsionsrituals/compulsions<WBR>, because it makes it > anxiety go away. But, with OCD, that is only temporary. It comes > back, as the brain repeats the thought, which in turn repeats the > ritual. It's like a brain hiccup. The sad thing is, the more you > give into it, the more the OCD grows. > > It sounds like he is hoarding. Our son is a hoarder too. He once > told me if he throws something away, he feels like he is killing it. > They can get an emotional attachment to things and have a hard time > parting with them. Hoarding is OCD, but it's been explained to me > that is " a different flavor " of OCD. So, it's somewhat different from > other OCD things. > > With interviewing therapists, I would just call and ask if the > therapist could call me back. Most will do a phone consult, for free. > If the receptionist tried to put me off, I would politely insist that > I would prefer to talk to the doctor. If they are a good doctor, > (someone you would want to go to), they will not be offended. You can > tell a lot over the phone, about how they will work out as a > therapist. I had a list of questions prepared that I referred to > while I was talking to them. If you'd like, I can send it to you. > Let me know. ) > > Big Hugs, . I'm so glad you are here. Praying for the > specialist to get you in soon. > > BJ > > > > **************AOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other > Holiday needs. Search Now. > (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212792382x1200798498/aol?redir=http://\ searchblog.aol.com/2008/11/04/happy-holidays-from > -aol-search/?ncid=emlcntussear00000001) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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