Nathan Williams is at war with his own body.

Though daily battles are tough, this 10-year-old optimist goes to sleep each night victorious.

Nathan has Tourette Syndrome, or TS.

According to the Tourette Syndrome Association, TSA, website, Tourette’s is a neurological disorder that becomes evident in early childhood or adolescence, usually before the age of 18. Tourette Syndrome is defined by multiple motor and verbal tics. the first symptoms usually are involuntary movements of the face, arms, limbs or trunk. These tics are frequent, repetitive and rapid. the most common first symptom is a facial tic such as an eye blink, nose twitch, grimace and is replaced or compounded by other tics of the neck, trunk, and limbs.

Part of Nathan’s strategies in dealing with TS is to chew gum, carry a stress ball, mentor other children with the condition, educate the public about the syndrome, and raise money to find a cure.

The Fontana youngster does most on a daily basis with the latter culminating on Sept. 3 when Nathan, his family, friends and supporters participate in the Disneyland Marathon Family 5K benefit, “One Lap Closer to a Cure.”

Nathan has collected more than $800 toward his $1,200 goal. Donations can be sent to TSA headquarters in new York in Nathan’s name.

“I really want to help find a cure for Tourette’s,” said Nathan, a fifth-grader at Alta Loma Elementary School. “Also the money raised will go to help me and others with TS become more confident.”

Nathan was about 8 when he was diagnosed with mild to moderate TS.

“He had rapid eye blinks and threw his wrist around,” said his mother Jackie Williams. “I thought he had allergies or was playing too many video games. then it got worse and he started clearing his throat a lot.”

Jackie took Nathan to see his pediatrician, who had a suspicion that it might be TS, even though there is no definitive test.

According to the TSA website, a diagnosis is made by observing symptoms and by evaluating the history of their onset. no blood analysis or other type of neurological testing exists to diagnose TS. However, some physicians may wish to order an EEG, MRI, CAT scan, or certain blood tests to rule out other ailments that might be confused with TS. Rating scales are available for assessment of tic severity.

A year after his initial visit, Nathan’s diagnosis was confirmed.

“That’s when we knew it wasn’t going away,” Jackie said.

Nathan started an endless stream of medical appointments, testing and drug therapy. It takes time, and a lot of trial and error, to find the right combination of behavior modification and medication to ease TS symptoms while inflicting the least amount of side effects.

“The side effects can be so awful; some of the medications made him so drowsy and lethargic,” Jackie said. “He’s on his fifth medication. It helps him get through the day, but the tics are still there.”

School is a challenge. “When anyone hears about someone who has Tourette, they always assume it’s the worst-case scenario,” she said. “Thanks to movies and television that’s usually coprolalia (pronounced kop-ruh-ley-lee-uh).”

Coprolalia are complex verbal tics including utterances of inappropriate statements or obscenities.

Though Nathan doesn’t have coprolalia, nor are his tics severe, friends and classmates still gave him a hard time.

“My friends would say to me, `Stay still,’ and I would tell them, `I can’t,”‘ Nathan said.

Trying to make things easier for her son and educate his peers and school staff, Jackie wanted to go to the school and address his class.

“What people don’t understand scares them,” Jackie said.

Nathan didn’t like the idea.

“I was embarrassed,” he said. “I wanted to keep it a secret. But then I talked to my mom and told her it was all right to tell. Once I let it out, life became a whole lot easier.”

Jackie, Nathan, Alta Loma Elementary school principal Stephanie Devisser, the school’s nurse and the district’s nurse explained to Nathan’s class what Tourette Syndrome is, what causes the symptoms and that it’s not contagious.

Things got a lot better for Nathan after that. He’s even come up with his own catch phrase: “Watch out, tics, you’re not the only move I can make.”

He’s become a mentor to a younger student with Tourette. “Sometimes the nurse will ask me, `Could you go and talk to him? He’s having a hard day.’ and I do,” Nathan said. “I talk to him, be his friend and tell him those kids that give him a hard time aren’t cool. It’s not cool to make fun of someone with Tourette Syndrome. It’s not cool to make fun of anybody.”

As Jackie listens to her son talk about something he’ll likely deal with the rest of his life, she beams with pride.

“His dad and I are his biggest fans,” she said. “Having a child with Tourette Syndrome has changed our lives and opened our eyes. We want for our son what all parents want for their children – to be happy and have a successful life. he has the right to be happy and successful. He’s so full of life and hope. Nathan is an amazing little boy.”

Early Signs of Autism can make All the Difference

Of course, no parent wants to be told their child has autism. yet, if parents know the early signs of autism and catch it early, the child is usually much better-off. Autism is a lifetime disease, and can be so severe the inflicted person may need constant medical supervision. Mild autism is much less severe, and the inflicted person may be able to live an independent life. Symptoms of autism show up in infancy and early childhood. Knowing what to look for is the key.

While it is difficult to diagnose autism before 24 months, symptoms tend to develop between 12 to 18 months. Autistic children do not display abnormal behavior, but rather it is their lack of normal behavior. if autism is caught in time, within 18 months symptoms can sometimes be reversed. Doctor’s views on autism vary, and so do treatments. still, it is agreed by all the earlier the intervention the better-off the child is.

There are several early signs of autism, and may include a child that avoids eye contact, does not smile back when you smile at the child, or fails to respond to his name from a known voice. Moreover, the autistic child may not wave good-bye and typically doesn’t play with other children. while these indicators don’t necessarily mean your child has autism, they may be risk factors. certainly as a concerned parent you should be aware of autism symptoms and discuss any development issues with your doctor. even mild autism caught early can make all the difference.

If your baby has not spoken by 16 months or is unable to speak two words together at 24 months there is indeed reason for concern. Remember, knowing the early signs of autism is crucial for parents. Early intervention is better than a late intervention. However, if a medical intervention is performed on an older child it is better than not having intervened on his behalf. the symptoms of autistic behavior in older children are more likely to be social problems. for example, older children may have difficulty making friends or may not like to be touched.

Additional autism symptoms in older children are, difficulty communicating emotions, repeats the same words or phrases, and may not understand instructions. Other signs are, following only one routine, cannot adapt to change, bangs his head, or stares at lights. displaying these signs does not mean a child has autism. However, if the child displays many of these symptoms a visit to the doctor is in order. as mentioned, early intervention even for mild autism is helpful.

Finally, no parent wants to hear their child has autism. yet, becoming knowledgeable in the early signs of autism is helpful for all parents who have young children. This is because if autism is diagnosed before 18 months the symptoms of the disease may be significantly reduced, and sometimes even reversed. This also holds true for children inflicted with mild autism. still, should an older child be diagnosed with autism, intervention is indeed still beneficial.

I have symptoms that sure sound like Cystic Fibrosis. can it be possible for a 49 year old man to develop Cystic Fibrosis earlier in life and not realize it?

What kind of tests do doctors give for Cystic Fibrosis?

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Cystic Fibrosis [CF] is genetic disorder that usually manifests itself in early childhood. It's unlikely that you have CF if you haven't had symptoms before your age.
Have you ever smoked? It's possible that you could have COPD [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease] such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Even if you've only smoked a few times, it is possible you could have developed COPD due to another genetic disorder, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency [trypsin can destroy lung and liver tissues if not kept in check by antitrypsin, which is not adequately supplied]. Definitely a scary prospect, but antitrypsin can be replaced if action is taken early enough. It occurs most often in people of European descent.

You need to be seen by a respiratory specialist for diagnosis.
Best of luck, and health,