Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders Support Group

Yes!! I have been through this exact same situation i missed 47 days last year. I missed so much that i almost failed by default. I've started to wonder if i should go on "homebound" or homeschooling but i know than that if I do than I lost.
So stay strong if you ever want to talk im here for ya. 8)

I can understand what you are going through. My soon to be 17 year old son has tourettes and I can honestly say that the school years were hell for him and me. He missed so much time and was starting to fail everything. He just couldn't cope with school, the work, teachers who didn't understand, teasing etc. I could see that it was becomming all too much so we decided to homeschool. It wasn't an easy decision, as I was worried about the isolation and lack of friends. We eventually did homeschool until the end of grade 10, but my son was very uncoperative and I ended up so stressed that we called school quits at the end of grade 10. I enrolled him in a disability employment network and he now works at a pet resort, looking after the animals there. Just recently they offered him a traineeship which he is doing on line. He still hates studying, but at least he is doing something he is interested in while he earns money. His tics still remain problematic though, he refuses medications because of side effects. Perhaps if your stress levels are too high you could consider doing a similar thing to us. Life is tough with tourettes. My heart and respect goes out to all who suffer this difficult disorder. Keep strong.

Karen

My child is 8 1/2. I am interested to know, at what age did your tics go from "dealable" to problematic. Also, are you seeing any decrease in tics as you get older?

If you did homebound schooling, do have a social outlet after school like a sport to keep you around friends? Something to consider to keep a balance.

Thanks!

@katatetwitch,
thank you and my mom is thinking the same thing. too start homeschooling me, im scared if i do that i'll become scared of the world. and wont be able to go to college. and im not a good student, so colleges will look @ me being homeschooled and dislike it (my dad said that).. so idk what to do! but ill def. be talking to you xo

@karen,
Thank you!! is you son doing better by doing the online stuff? Did he remain or gain new friends? He shoulds like a great boy, and thank you for that reply! I am under POUNDS of stress, and i need someway to release some.

Laraliz,
Hi! I will tell you the honest truth, because im sure as a mother you prob. dont want to here this! Everyone i know with tics, they have gotten worse in there teenage years. They definitly did for me. They started when I was 8, and they started getting unbareable when I was about 12/13. Im in group therapy for tourettes and they all say the same. Also, if i did homeschooling, over the summers i go to NYC and take fashion styleing/design courses at FIT (fashion institute of technology) with my bestfriend in ny. I moved to FL 2 years ago. Thats when they got horrible. And im really praying to move back! Thats were most of my stress is comming from! Im thinking of your daughter and hopefully she'll feel better soon xo

I almosst did not graduate last year beacuse I missed so much school. It was easier to be home all day then to deal with school.I hated school and my parents never undertod so I did not have an option to go to school or not so i made it myslef.Tears are the one word to describe school for people who are differnte....But i think online classes are great if I had the option id do that. Stick in there and it will get better just be strong:)

To this day my son finds studying very difficult to be motivated enough to do it. It is a great stress on the whole family as we want him to do well but we can't make him do it. His tics are often very troublesome and exhausting and like you he has gotten much worse in his teenage years. His frustration levels are through the roof and he doesn't deal very well with stress. In the end you just have to weigh up which will suit you the best, in our case it was definately homeschooling. There are some great online courses after school as well. You definately need some social contact as well. Fortunately, my middle son used to allow Mitchell to go out with him and his friends. Now as he is getting older and more mature he seems to be making his own. Let us know how you get on.

@ Nikki,
See you know how i feel. My doctors are all telling me too take it easy and they want me too go on a medical leave or homeschooling for a while. They are talking to my school monday. We are all having a meeting, my guidence councilor, parents and doctor(s) to see what I should do. I think homeschooling for a while will be good, for my ticks too calm down, because I just started a very strong medication last night.. because now I discovered I have a new tick. A BAD voice tick that im sucking in air. loud and hard. its so offen im hyperventalating and I keep fainting :'( Hopefully Ill feel better soon! HAve a good day xo thanks for reading and replying.

@kgore,
Thankyou so much for replying and my heart goes out too your son because I know what he's going threw! I hope he feels better soon. All the other replys are pretty much summing up everything! but my sister is also being nice about it, and her and my bestfriend in newyork are keeping me sain and helping me keep social and talking! Have a good day, and ill keep everyone posted. It feels so good too see people caring about me on here :)

dont give up on your tics, i overcame tourettes syndrome. you know the feeling you get when you about to tick ?when it just comes about , i would always just try to catch that feeling . and when i did know i was gonna twitch i would take a deep breath and in my head , tell myself that i was incontrol of the ticks, the ticks were not incontrol of me. i wouldn't support the idea of homeschooling even though i do know how you feel because i was put in the back of the clasrroom due to my twitches and it was the hardest thing i ever went through, especially with horrible kids teasing and making fun of me. I HIGHLY reccomend taking up a sport or a dance class , something active, because studies show kids with tourettes syndrome who do an hour of activity everyday can drastically improve and stay more calm.

i also did hypno therapy and found that it did help.

stay strong

Thanks for the advice! And you feel something before you get a tic? Mine just come out of no where. I truthfully never felt anything before it! I'm nervous to make up my mind about homeschooling! You should so strong and I look up too you, i'm trying to be strong but I'm very sensitive. I know thats no excuse but im trying lol, thanks and feel better xo