Essential Tremor in Children
Essential tremor (ET) is often thought of as an adult onset condition. However, it can start in early childhood affecting about 5% of children, predominantly involving the hands and there is often a family history of tremor. There are two kinds of hand tremor which are: Kinetic tremor only (i.e. tremor present only when the hands are moving) and Postural tremor only (i.e. tremor is visible when the hands are held outstretched) with some children experiencing both. The hand tremor leads to difficulty with:
- Holding a hot drink
- Drinking from a cup
- Using a spoon
- Writing
- Typing
- Drawing
- Using tweezers
- Painting nails
- Playing a musical instrument
Very little is known about the treatment of ET in childhood but it is helpful to be open about the condition, to discuss it and to have a common sense open approach. Children will often cope better than adults until school age when often a variety of problems such as writing, school meal times and comments from peers, may cause anxiety and embarrassment.
The NTF would like to feature some children's/young people’s stories and how you cope with living with tremor. We would like to know about the challenges you face, what help you receive, how supportive your peers are and to provide advice to other young people and their parents.
We are really keen to make people aware that young people can have tremor too. If you would like to help the NTF to raise awareness about tremor, please log in below to post your comment.
Edward Pye
Saturday 20th March 2010 14:10
Hi Ed, I am an Ed with essential tremor too but I am 73 and left college a long time ago ;-) Perhaps I am too old to be writing here but I just wanted to say well done for being so positive about your condition and finding a way to follow your hobbie. I had mates who supported me too and you are so right.........humour about your condition gets you a lot of street cred. No-one is perfect and we all have issues to overcome, being positive wins you more friends than bemoaning your lot in life. I have been happily married for over 50 years, have a daughter old enough to be your mother and indeed a grandson who is a couple of years older than you, all who have been very supportive of my condition. I wish you well young man and feel sure you have a great future ahead of you (sorry I have not heard of Banksy but I will keep my eye open for your name in the future ;-) ..........and remember how lucky you are to have the advances in technology you take for granted, computers would have changed my life if they had been around when I was your age.
Ed
Jo
Wednesday 1st September 2010 21:10
Hi there,
I was diagnosed at 20 by a friend who's a doctor. My tremor is relatively mild and I can manage providing I am careful about the things that make it worse (tiredness, low blood sugar, mood and caffeine - especially caffeine). I am 32 now and at work I try to adjust my posture and body language a bit to help disguise it if I need to make presentations to clients, but for anybody I see more than once I try to 'fess up. It's better than dealing with comments about being nervous / drinking too much!
Drinks are a pain but now I have some much bigger cups (that I don't fill too much) and straws. Travel coffee cups are good too. I don't know about you, but having to deal with sugar can be even worse - I just don't bother with it these days.
I don't think it has affected my ability to get a decent job, or my home life (I have a family of my own these days). If you keep positive I don't think a condition needs to rule or define you. Keep up the street art, I love that stuff.
Muhammad Hafizzudin
Monday 14th February 2011 00:35
Hi there,
I'm Hafiz, 23 years old, from Malaysia. I have several questions. I am not diagnosed yet but i have several symptoms as mentioned above. I did not realised the symptoms but my friends and family did since two years ago. My hand shaking during using a spoon, holding a cup and stop shaking only when i am realise or i am in the comfortable/rest condition. However, is it possible at the age around my age to have the syndrom? I take 2-3 cups of coffee daily. Is it going to effect the syndrome become worse?
Tonia - NTF Administrator
Wednesday 16th February 2011 14:41
Hi Muhammad! It is possible to have essential tremor at any age, but it would be best to have a diagnosis before reading to much about this condition, as you may have something completely different. Caffeine in coffee is known to make tremor worse for a short period of time in people with essential tremor.
Bethan Rees
Thursday 21st April 2011 16:04
Hey,
I'm Bethan, i'm 15 and i've nearly finished comprehensive school, i have had the tremor since i was 7 but i was diagnosed officially when i was 12. I find it difficult to manage all of the above but i was surprised that taking photographs wasn't in the list, i always feel so much pressure when someone asks me to take a photo of them, does anyone else find this?
routh1228
Wednesday 4th May 2011 13:33
Hi I'm Fiona I'm 31 and have been diagnosed with begine essential tremour in my left hand. I have always had a tremour in my head when I have been nervous since being a teenager, though it was just down to nerves but now I realise its connected with the tremour in my hand. Its pretty scary to think this is only going to get worse but hopefully the progression will be slow and minimal. I would love to chat to fellow sufferers as I don't know anyone else with the condidition and feel very isolated at the moment as family and friends can't understand what its like. I just feel like my life is now mapped out for me because of this disease and its not the life I thought i'd have.
Jonny
Wednesday 18th May 2011 20:32
hey beth am 20 and Yes photography would be my biggest hobby if it wasnt for my tremour ! its when your with a group of mate or if someone comes up to you and is like here would you mind taking a photo ....what do you say ? then when i comes our blury your just like sorrySaid: Bethan Rees
Hey,
I'm Bethan, i'm 15 and i've nearly finished comprehensive school, i have had the tremor since i was 7 but i was diagnosed officially when i was 12. I find it difficult to manage all of the above but i was surprised that taking photographs wasn't in the list, i always feel so much pressure when someone asks me to take a photo of them, does anyone else find this?
axlsgirl
Sunday 24th July 2011 15:34
hi my name is allie i am 21 and i have just been diagonised with a postural tremor as well as dystonia. i am concerned this is going to affect my final year exams in university as writing for an extended period of time has become hard. i symphaise with all of the above situations especially lifting cups of tea aswell as using my mouse on my laptop. this condition can be very isolating as you feel very self aware when in groups of people. myn doctor has put me on medication is anyone else on beta blockers as well.
Edwinem2k
Wednesday 17th August 2011 21:48
Hey everyone, my name is Axel and I am 21 now and just got diagnosed now even though I have had symptoms ever since I can remember. Its good to read about all your experiences above, and I can especially symphasise with the feeling that your life seems a lot more mapped out, even though I am hoping that the progressing of my tremor will be slow/slower. I used to hate to feel vulnerable whenever I finished gym or when I was hungover, due to the strength of my tremor then, but now that I know what it is I feel a lot better! The worst was when the first thing my GP said that he would test for Alzheimers...anything after that week of waiting seemed bearable.
My doctor prescribed me beta blockers as well, but since I didnt want to be on constant medication he advised me to simple carry them on me and use an appropriate dosage before presentations or other events where I would feel conscious of my tremor. I just hope this wont affect my career going forward.
cjs3003
Tuesday 4th October 2011 12:13
hi, just found your site and would like to tell you some of my thoughts. I am 47yrs old, female with ET. i wasn't diagnosed till i was in my late 30's though always had "that shaky thing your mother had". Just lived with it though alchol did help in my 20's but obviously can't rely on that. Thinking back invites to weddings Aah!! first thought hope starter isnt soup, wasn't ever sent to bar as pals would prefer a whole drink back!! Always worse inthe winter and it did make me laugh on previous letter re cheque signing thank god for ATM. I just tell workmates and people who ask. Take Propronal when going to anything special or going to be doing anything i know will make it worse.
My only heartache is that my 14yr old daughter has hand tremor and can be quite bad sometimes.specially when stressed. Gets odd comments at school from children but has from teachers aswell. She does get annoyed sometime with it but i do try to give her ways of explaining to people and hints on how to hold papers etc.
now the new term has started i think it time to tell the school to avoid any problems and possibly get her some assistance with any subjects that involve fine motor skills like electronics etc.
Always find making the joke first stops any comments.
Thanks
Ales
Friday 21st October 2011 20:50
Hey, I'm Ales, and I've had essential tremor since i was a toddler. I am currently 14 now, and today the Doctors have finnaly prescribed something for me. I was diagnosed with this about 4 years ago when I went to my GP, who then refered me to consultants at a hospital. They did not do much, and they just told me to return when it becomes worse. It did. Earlier this year I went to my GP again, as it'd got worse since I started secondary school (age 11). People also noticed it, and would make comments, some nice, others mean. The doctors there reffered me to a peadiatric psychologist, who saw me about 10 sessions, within 3 and a half months. She helped me with my anxiety towards it, i.e meeting new people or eating in public(scared that others will notice it). She also taught me some relaxating techniques. I found that this helped. Only today was the meeting back with the doctors, at hospital, after my 10 psychology sessions, this was planned after the first appointment as they told me I would have to come back after the sessions stopped. They had finnaly prescribed me something. They prescribed me 40mg of propranolol to take twice a day. This is just a trial as it may be too much dosage or too little. They plan to see me again in three months. Unfortunenatly the drug is used to slower the heart rate so I may not be as active, this is bad as I am a teenager and very active. I have already taken one today and feel no different; not surpising as I doubt much would have happened so far, I shall wait a few days. I hope it does work and the side effects are not too bad. Wish me luck!
© National Tremor Association 2009-2012
Hey everyone.
I'm Ed, 17, and at college. What does everyone else find with the Tremor condition? Family, Friends, Tasks, etc?
Personally, carrying hot drinks as mentioned above is one of the bane's of my life :P but its okay if you get someone else to carry it.
Drawing is another problem after a while as my hands begin to hurt, which isn't great as one of my main hobbies is art. However I have got around this as my favourite art is Street Art or 'graffiti' (everyone has heard of Banksy, but there are thousands of others out there), as instead of having to grip a pen really hard, I can use a spray can (legally of course), which is a lot easier on the hands when you get used to it.
My mates dont care about it and also I feel it easy to make jokes about it - what about everyone else? any thoughts or tips you wanna share?
cheers.