DYSGRAPHIA AND MOTOR TICS

I absolutely think you need to make an appointment to have this checked out immediately. I am thinking a neurologist would be the appropriate doctor for the tics.

Janis

You could request that the school give her an occupational therapy evaluation (make the request in writing, and list the concerns you have about coloring, writing, etc.).

Also, your medical insurance may cover an occupational therapy evaluation. A private OT eval would normally be considerably more thorough than one done through the school. The school has to take into account private evaluations when deciding on services. I usually advise people to find a good OT first (preferably recommended by other parents), then call their office to ask about medical insurance coverage. They deal with insurance every day and can usually tell you exactly what you need — referral from your GP, special coding, or ……..

The tic’s could be early Tourette’s. Your GP should be able to give you a referral to a neurologist for evaluation.

Tic’s and dysgraphia are usually two separate problems.

Nancy

Tics and dysgraphia are both signs that something is awry neurologically. Transient tics are not uncommon in childhood and they are often experienced by children with ADHD and things like Tourette’s and developmental coordination disorder. An exam by a pediatric neurologist who specializes in diagnosing LD/ADHD is a must for this child. If money is a question, get this exam first. If you are able, an OT eval may be helpful for the writing issues, if the problem stems from motor skills impairment

Are you talking about a near simultaneous occurence of tics and a decline in handwriting? If so this is a strong flag for an autoimmune disorder resulting from a strep infection. I also strongly advise that you see a doctor, but please do homework on this before you go. The autoimmune disorder, called PANDAS, has been recognized relatively recently and many doctors are unaware of this diagnosis. Inform yourself fully about this so you can intelligently talk with the doctor about this possibility. I would go so far as to say that if the doctor does not know about PANDAS, he or she would not be competent to take on your child’s case (even if it turns out not to be PANDAS).

PANDAS is not tourette’s, but can be tourette-like. Obsessive compulisive-type behaviors can also occur. Decline in handwriting is a frequent side-effect. For information on PANDAS, do a Google search on PANDAS + Susan Swedo. Dr. Swedo is at the government’s National Institute of Health in Maryland and has done most of the pioneering work on this disorder. The NIH has a lot of information on this on their website.

I have been researching tics, tourrettes and related disorders due to the fact that my LD son has been having tics for a few weeks. One of the things I learned is that often diagnosed children with Tourrettes have poor graphomotor skills.

marie is correct that a sudden onset of both problems demands immediate attention.