I've written about my Tourette's syndrome before, and how since being a teenager it doesn't affect my life... it's even virtually unnoticeable the majority of the time.
When we got pregnant one of my main thoughts was whether the baby would get my Tourette's. I got it from my dad, and apparently he probably got it from his dad, so there's a good chance our child gets it, although my brother doesn't have it.
When I was diagnosed, my parents were given the option of giving me medication, and they were even told by my junior school headteacher that I would have to go to a 'special school'. Thankfully they opted to see what happens and work it out as things progress. They were afraid the medication would turn me into a zombie.
I've met someone who went through the same secondary school as me a few years after me and they were on medication, and it did indeed change their personality.
Since the symptoms of Tourette's have become more obvious through the generations, my concern is that if our child does get my Tourette's, will it be 'worse' than mine, and will it stay with them as prominently in later life?
Something I've been thinking about is whether I'd want to give them medication if it started affecting their life, and what I'm keen to explore is whether it would be safe, as an adult, for me to try the medication before giving it to our child, if the need arose. Either myself or Miia would be able to detect changes in my personality. I don't know what I'd do with the results, but I don't like the idea of potentially personality-altering medication.
I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it.
No comments:
Post a Comment