tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275556542011-12-14T21:39:53.953-05:00There are 9 million children in the U.S. with special needs. Here, find out what some of them are thinking.Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08904785874214424431noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27555654.post-1743006009154385712007-06-06T17:39:00.000-04:002007-06-06T17:41:25.692-04:00Hi, my name is J. and I’m a normal kid just like you. I play with my dog. I read books. I go to school. I love to draw. And I have Tourette syndrome.<br /> <br />Tourette syndrome is a disease where your nerves and brain can’t communicate very well. That means I have things called tics and they are when I blink my eyes or make squeaky sounds or even shake my head and I can’t help it. You may be wondering why.<br /> <br />I have a certain feeling in my body where I feel like I have to do that certain tic otherwise my throat feels scrunched up and my body feels really stiff. <br /> <br />I’ve heard that some people think that people who have Tourette’s and do their tics have a mental disease. Or they’re just crazy. Some people think tics are done on purpose to get attention and others don’t know what to make of tics. <br /> <br />The other week I was in a very big testing period and I kept doing my tics. I kept seeing people turn in my direction and I was afraid I was disturbing the class. Eventually when you’re doing something that makes you not think of your tics, they go away. So as long as I focused on my work, I didn’t tic.<br /> <br />At home I still get my tics. But there are ways that I can make my tics stop or not happen as often. For example when I draw and I get into my own little world and I just draw, I don’t do my tics as much because I’m not thinking about them. <br /> <br />My tics happen more often when I’m stressed out or I’m plain old tired.<br /> <br />I never knew why I was doing my tics or even that they were called tics.<br /> <br />One day my mom took me to the doctor to find out what was going on. The doctor asked me lots of questions and then diagnosed me with Tourette syndrome. I was scared, I was confused and I didn’t know what to make of Tourette syndrome.<br /> <br />Luckily there is medicine I can take to help tics. At first my medicine made me tired and gave me headaches but now I find that my medicine is really helping me to overcome my tics.<br /> <br />My guidance counselor is helping me make up a presentation on Tourette’s so my class won’t wonder what I’m doing when I’m doing my tics.<br /> <br />The next time you see a kid doing something out of the ordinary don’t assume that they’re crazy. They may have Tourette syndrome just like I do. And you know what? We’re normal kids who lead normal lives just like you do.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27555654-174300600915438571?l=byspecialkids.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08904785874214424431noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27555654.post-22456842636310266412007-06-06T17:29:00.000-04:002007-06-06T17:39:32.130-04:00J.<br /><br />Hobbies: drawing, swimming, reading<br />Favorite season: summer<br />Pets: a dog named Buffy<br />Friends: so many i can't count!<br />Sports; softball, swimming (competitively), swimming (for fun), <br />basketball, volleyball<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27555654-2245684263631026641?l=byspecialkids.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Debbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08904785874214424431noreply@blogger.com0