Since we’ve been weathering these “storms” from LuLu lately, I started looking for more information. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember reading about “rage storms” in connection to Tourette’s. So I logged on to the Tourette’s Plus website. While Dr. Packer is quick to point out there is no research that indicates children with Tourettes are prone to rage attacks, there is growing anecdotal evidence that children with co-morbid conditions do seem to be the ones exhibiting the rage attacks.... more

LuLu has been exhibiting some “interesting” behavioral changes over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been reading about “storms” or “rage attacks” that can apparently be a part of Tourette’s Plus (the co-morbidity of Tourettes/OCD/ADHD). And because of the nature of what I’m seeing in LuLu – I tend to believe we’re seeing such storms.

What I’m observing is a Jekyl & Hyde sort of scenario. Take, for example, her math lesson earlier in the week: We are subtracting multi-digit numbers with regrouping (that’s borrowing for us old folks). She... more

Well, last week birthday wishes started arriving for LuLu and it wasn't long before she had gift cards and money enough for the coveted Fur Real Chimp.

So, given that I was in court all week and the daily routine was defintely out of whack, one evening I took her over to Target and she made her purchase. She was thrilled! LuLu had been stuck on wanting this chimp and on believing that somehow we (the family who loved her) would not buy her true heart's desire for her as a birthday... more

One of the things that truly makes my heart sing is when I realize that LuLu realizes that someone truly “gets it” what it’s like to be her. Being LuLu’s mom is HARD! But being LuLu herself is so much HARDER! It irritates me when people who interact with LuLu tell me how hard they are trying and how difficult SHE is. Being around LuLu is difficult, but SHE is not difficult. Why do I say this? Because I know she’s not trying to be difficult…she’s trying to deal with the difficulties in her way. That is, by definition, what disabilities... more

I recently joined the coolest listserve about homeschooling children with special needs: Homeschool_SpecialNeedsKidz. The parents there have been kind, helpful, and compassionate as I've asked questions and explored my reluctancy about homeschooling LuLu.

This week one topic has been how to explain to others what it's like to live with Asperger's Syndrome or sensory integration problems (SPD). There have been lots of great answers, like turning up a radio very loud... more

Amid all the ADN Conference flurry, I met with the neuropsych who recently evaluated LuLu (school system footed the bill) in conjunction with our impending due process hearing.

I was shocked (and thrilled) to hear that he firmly believes that LuLu's issues are neurologically based (no surprise because they are). He wants to focus squarely on the Tourettes Plus diagnosis (which is a combination of Tourettes/OCD/ADHD -- a common combo). While I believe LuLu's issues are greater than that, I was willing to hear him out. He did add that she has significant communication issues and significant processing issues. He also predicted that she will do poorly on her CAPD evaluation tomorrow... more

On Tuesday, I took LuLu to the pediatrician. Her DAN! doctor and I had been discussing whether or not she was showing signs of strep. When KayKay was sick too, I decided to pull a two-fer at the doctor's and see if either child qualified for a diagnosable illness. Well, KayKay had a raging sinus infection and ear infection. But LuLu's rapid strep test was positive. LuLu has a history with strep tests --sometimes the rapid test has been negative and the culture was positive -- sometimes just the opposite. So we opted to wait on the antibiotics until after we had the culture results.

Yesterday,... more

Here's an interesting article published by the New York Times last May. Reporter Lisa Belkin explores the research surrounding Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated With Streptococcal Infection, or PANDAS for short.

The article describes how researchers have discovered cases of sudden onset OCD in children may be linked to strep infections. And that by use of long-term antibiotics, the children's OCD symptoms improve.

This... more