Sometimes I do not understand how people can be so mean to each other. I am saying this because my family had experienced something that needs not cruelty but compassion. You see, I have a seven year old son who suffers from a disease called transient tic disorder.

One year ago, I have noticed that my very energetic son would often twitch his nose and squint his eyes. I was the first one who noticed it in our family of five, since I was a stay-at-home mom and spend most of my time with him. During the first few weeks, I did not make a big deal out of it and even thought that it was cute. I thought that those movements were similar to the childhood mannerisms his two elder brothers experienced (same as thumb sucking or saying “mayma” instead of mama). I remember telling my husband about it about two weeks later after I first noticed it.

My husband, who works in a doctor’s office, was worried. He said that he and his boss (a doctor) sometimes talk about certain diseases that affect children and can manifest as repeated facial movements. So after one month of the same “mannerisms”, my husband and I decided to bring him to the doctor and have him checked. The doctor did not perform any special test, he just talked to our son and to us and observed him. He said that my little boy suffers from transient tic disorder.

Transient tic disorder is a kind of disease that shows as involuntary facial or eye spasms, that why I thought my son was squinting or twitching his face a lot. According to our doctor, what my son has is only short-term. It is not chronic and therefore, has the possibility of disappearing after a few months. There is no medication or treatment required. Those facts actually relieved me.

What I am worried about is not the facial tics. There are some people who make fun of my son because of his facial spasms. Some kids would tease him and call him “funny face” or “rabbit”. My son does not seem to be affected but I know that he can hear them. I get hurt every time someone would tease him. I do hope that the doctor is right, I hope it will disappear after a few months.