Sidetracked Artist

Our daughter finished the requirements to receive a high school diploma earlier this year from an online high school.   As I wrote in my last post , this was quite an achievement for her.   There were times when it looked like she wouldn't finish.  And after working on it for so long while she struggled with other issues , she was kind of burned out from the whole situation.  One of the things that helped her push herself to finish those last two classes was the knowledge that she would be having a celebration party when she finished.  There isn’t much Laura wouldn’t do to be able to throw a party.   Growing up, she was known for her parties.   There were numerous birthday parties and a few Halloween parties, and they were all painstakingly planned and beautifully executed.   And there were always elaborate decorations involved – that was the most fun for her.   She loves to decorate! We live two states away from family, and we would be ...

Separation anxiety is a normal stage of development in babies.   The exact age of its onset and resolution vary with different sources, but in general, it begins at around 8 months and ends at about 18 months but can sometimes last until 36 months of age. Separation Anxiety Disorder is not the same thing as the normal separation anxiety of babyhood. Separation Anxiety Disorder is a psychological disorder that involves intense anxiety when the person is separated from home or from someone with whom they have a strong emotional attachment (usually a parent or grandparent).   By “intense anxiety” I don’t mean they simply feel anxious, or fearful at the beginning of the separation.   I mean that the person feels terrified, nauseous, and disoriented by the thought that something may happen to the person they are attached to while they are absent. My daughter, Laura, has suffered from Separation Anxiety Disorder for as long as she can remember. Separation Anxiety Disorder ...

When our daughter was about six years old, she began making repetitive hand gestures and vocalizations.   She began sniffling constantly, and at first we thought it might be allergies.   Her doctor agreed and wrote a prescription, which didn’t help.   The sniffling continued and she also began frequent throat clearing.   Additional allergy medications were tried, but had no affect.   The repetitive gestures continued as well. We later learned that these movements and vocalizations are called tics.   There were also sudden angry outbursts and uncontrollable meltdowns. Laura said that she just had to do the gestures and make the noises.   It wasn’t that they were completely out of her control.   She could sometimes resist doing them, but not for long.   Fortunately, swearing was never a problem, as it is for about 10% of people with Tourette Syndrome. Her pediatrician referred us for counseling to find out what was causing this bazaar...