Re: To Velvet re hands shaking

[Guest guest]

Thanks for bringing this up, I wanted to get some additional info. My father and

husband's father both had this tremor, it called essential or familial tremor,

but have never seen it associated with Aspergers. My husband has zero of it, but

his son (41) by previous marriage is essentially disabled by it and he's had it

since 14. Of course, the " other " side of the family has told him for years it's

just nerves! I would also say he is definitely " something. " Very dysfunctional,

but don't know that I would say on spectrum, but can't hold job, or

relationship. Hmm, yes does sound like spectrum doesn't it, LOL! The really bad

thing is that it is stopped by drinking alcohol, and he has a drinking problem

to begin with and now here's a great excuse to drink more.

And then finally, the one son we have between us, 24, had the slightest shake to

his head and sometimes hands, but somehow, nobody but me seems to be able to see

it, I have pointed it out to Doctor and insisted they note it in his records.

I have not found a relationship to tremor and spectrum, but sure think that they

should study it, very debilitating. Does you son take the medication that they

have for it? Older son would not even consider it, it's " nerves " after all!

Sue in Tn

>

> Hi Velvet!

> My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a common

feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called " essential

tremor. "

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

Hmmm, interesting Jill!! I did not know there was a name for these tremors, nor

that it could be associated with an ASD (although I suspected it might be since

none of our other children have this.)

The tremor is very slight and occurs mainly when he is really concentrating

hard... as in writing, which is difficult for him. While son received a host of

" ABC's " for diagnosis - which includes fine motor delay and the tremor was

recognized - no explanation or association was mentioned by the medical team.

Thanks, I will " google " the term.

: ) Velvet

>

> Hi Velvet!

> My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a common

feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called " essential

tremor. "

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

My dd also has a tremor in her hands which we have always called an " intention

tremor " . She's had it since she was two or three years old.

> >

> > Hi Velvet!

> > My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a common

feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called " essential

tremor. "

> > Jill

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Velvet,

My son does take medication, but I don't think it has any effect on the tremor. It's a tricyclic antidepressant called Imipramine (Tofranil). He takes a very small dose -- 30 mg a day.

We were told it would curb impulsiveness, and it seems to. We've increased the dose slightly over the years as his weight increased from about 80 lbs. to about 120 (he is now 22). Whenever we have tried having him stop it for a few days, his tics (waving hands, uttering nonsense noises) seem to increase.

Jill

[Guest guest]

My son and I both have tremors. His is slight. Mine has worsened with age and

also the medications I'm taking. Wellbutrin tends to do this. Caffeine will

make it worse as does PMS for me. I didn't notice 's tremor until quite

recently. It's very slight in his hands. I think I might have always had it

and not realized until it worsened with medication. The neuro who diagnosed it

said, " Benign Familial Tremor " meaning it's genetic but I don't think either of

my parents had it. Maybe my dad did, but it was hard to tell what was caused by

alcohol consumption. My dad was highly anxious.

More recently I saw another neuro who told me that my nervous system didn't

develop fully. I don't have a complete myelin sheath. It's not degenerating.

It just never developed all the way. He seemed to think this was typical of

autism spectrum/sensory integration disorder issues. He said, " Your issues are

like your son's. He had to get it somewhere, but you're not allowed to blame

yourself for it. It's nothing to worry about. " I was really quite happy with

what this doctor said because my husband has always been very impatient with me.

I tried to tell him that I thought I had neuro issues and he said, " I'd like to

have that confirmed by a doctor. " That's why I saw this more recent doctor. So

I got in writing exactly what I needed and now my husband is much better than he

was. If I say I can't find something he doesn't say, " IF I HAVE TO COME IN

THERE AND IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!!! " Yes, I have visual processing issues.

Something could be right in my face and I can't see it. If my husband moves the

hand soap 2 inches from it's previous spot I often can't see it. I've learned

to allow myself more time to find things and more time to move around. I have

to think out all the steps for getting from one place to another even in my own

house. " Okay, I can carry this glass of water to the table, is there anything

in the way? Where are the kids? Did someone leave a chair further from the

table than usual? " I have to pay more attention. I tend to be a person who

spills drinks and runs into furniture. I have a sense of humor about it as long

as I don't break any bones. Yes, I have broken bones running into furniture and

door jams more than once. Anyway, despite all this I don't have any official

ASD dx.

Anyway, off to shop with my MIL.

Miriam

>

> Hi Velvet!

> My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a common

feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called " essential

tremor. "

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for sharing this Miriam. It is so good when someone is able to

explain more fully how processing issues feel to a person who is experiencing

these. Very insightful! : )

> >

> > Hi Velvet!

> > My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a common

feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called " essential

tremor. "

> > Jill

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing that information...

Re tremor: Actually the alcohol STOPS the tremor, but it's not a very practical

therapy! But this fact does encourage stepson to drink. Allows him to play pool

with buddies since he's not shaking. He has no insurance or job even right now

and won't consider a doctor for medication for it. All his life mother and

sisters have told him it's just " nerves. " I can show him a hundred articles

about it and that it is nothing to do with nerves, and makes no difference! I

don't think that anxiety plays a part, although, other than inheriting it, they

don't really know. It is exacerbated when trying to some type of fine motor,

such as writing. On the other hand, a Parkinson's tremor is when the limb is at

rest, (or head).

DS is same way about finding thins. I think it is part visualization and part

executive function and planning.

Sue

> >

> > Hi Velvet!

> > My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a common

feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called " essential

tremor. "

> > Jill

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jill,

Our son currently takes Strattera which helps him a lot with his focus.

Besides the slight hand tremor, we have been fortunate not to see any tics.

There was, however, one period of (perhaps) a week when our son made this

clicking sound with his tongue... I remember calling the doctor about it and him

saying that sometimes with medicines, these tics can be brought out/sometimes

puberty also plays a role. Fortunately, these went away on their own, which was

a relief.

>

> Dear Velvet,

> My son does take medication, but I don't think it has any effect on the

tremor. It's a tricyclic antidepressant called Imipramine (Tofranil). He takes

a very small dose -- 30 mg a day.

> We were told it would curb impulsiveness, and it seems to. We've increased

the dose slightly over the years as his weight increased from about 80 lbs. to

about 120 (he is now 22). Whenever we have tried having him stop it for a few

days, his tics (waving hands, uttering nonsense noises) seem to increase.

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info about tremors and alcohol. I hate it when people say, " Just

relax " because that doesn't make it go away. It's not " nerves " as in, " in your

head " it's neurological as in " nervous system " . I didn't mean to imply the

" nerves " thing. My dad did treat his anxiety with alcohol, however. It wasn't

very useful, I think. He had a collection of issues that are in common with

asperger syndrome and adhd with PTSD on top of it thanks to WW2. Back in the

1940s when PTSD was called Shell Shock, alcohol was used to alleviate it with

the troops. Screwy, but it was what they did back then. Nobody really thought

alcoholism might be a problem because it was considered a character flaw and

nobody considered the medical issues that go with alcoholism.

I had to be finger printed for my current very part-time subbing job at the

local school district. I HATE being finger printed because my hands shake and

inevitably I have to do them again. I'm waiting to hear back if I need to have

it done AGAIN. Maybe a bit of booze would help, but I doubt showing up at

personnel stinking of booze would be conducive to employment. LOL. Maybe I'll

ask my doctor for something to control the tremor just long enough to do my

fingerprints.

Miriam

> > >

> > > Hi Velvet!

> > > My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a

common feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called

" essential tremor. "

> > > Jill

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

LOL! No probably not good to show up with an alcohol aroma! My stepson is so bad

he cannot lift a glass to drink, lliquid shakes out of the drink, so he has to

use a straw. He's too embarrassed to eat out because of it. For him, started at

12 or 13, but has gotten progressively worse. It looks like most of the drugs

they use to treat are not horribly full of side effects, so he would benefit.

Plus his job (when he's working) is as a mechanic, so constantly struggle to

contain the shaking so he can work. His is pretty much confined to his hands. I

have suggested he could probably get disability, but he's too " proud. "

Sue in Tn

> > > >

> > > > Hi Velvet!

> > > > My son's hands have a very slight tremor also. I think this may be a

common feature of Asperger's syndrome. If I remember rightly, it's called

" essential tremor. "

> > > > Jill

> > > >

> > >

> >

>