| Intense, high strung, hard headed, inflexible, difficult, just | | | | Neurolopsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strepp). |
| some of the words used to describe my son. All true | | | | His OCD drives him to compete against himself and |
| words for the "other Zack", when his mind is not | | | | others for perfection at all times, and repeating the |
| working quite as it should. Delightful, charming, sweet, | | | | most minor tasks until he has it mastered. Sometimes |
| kind, helpful, charasmatic, loving, words that describe | | | | causing great frustration, anger and rages, depression |
| the REAL Zack. He has struggled for too long, just like | | | | and anxiety. However he is NOT alone. His story is |
| so many other kids. His suffering is in his own mind, the | | | | unfortunately not uncommon, as emotional and mental |
| mind that tortures him and makes him hate himself and | | | | illness in children and adults is widespread. |
| how he behaves. | | | | We hope to bring awareness to the fact that kids like |
| All too often these kids are rejected, teased, isolated | | | | Zack who may appear difficult, oppositional, "bad" may |
| and ridiculed for negative behaviors they can not | | | | be suffering from such disorders that affect their ability |
| control. We want to let other kids who suffer as Zack | | | | to think and act appropriately at all times. These are |
| does to know they are NOT alone and are NOT bad | | | | not bad kids, they are often lovable,kind, smart and |
| kids. We hope to "stomp out stigma" of pediatric | | | | charasmatic, but very misunderstood. Zack loves |
| related emotional and mental illness. Just as Autism is | | | | biking, baseball, basketball, drawing and animals. His |
| becoming more understood due to flooding of | | | | mood swings can be drastic and instantaneous, |
| information and awareness we want the same | | | | creating a very chaotic and stressful home life for us |
| recognition for other emotionally based disabilites. | | | | all. We hope with more attention and research and |
| Zack has very little, if any impulse control, his ability to | | | | better medications these children and adults can get |
| control his anger and emotions is very limited. Zack is | | | | the help they need to bring the stability and peace their |
| diagnosed with OCD, Tourettes Disorder Spectrum, | | | | minds crave and desire. Today Zack is in the 9th and |
| ADHD and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune | | | | making A's and B's. There is hope. |