12 year old Shea, who was diagnosed when he was five with essential tremor, opens up about his experience going through school.

What is it like going to school?
My experience at school is hard because my mum has had to go up about it several times and I get really nervous. When I go up to school my friends always ask about it and on some occasions I got bullied.

Could you tell us about your experience having tests?
Having tests is one of the harder things in school with tests but my mum sticks by it every time because I struggle quite a lot with them and that’s why it gets sorted.  I get asked quite a lot why I have these things in place but I don’t answer that’s why I got bullied. 

What was it like having to take medication at school?
Having medication sometimes was really hard with my school because I was sometimes scared to say to the teacher about my tremor and when I had to take my medication at dinner time. One of the medications Propranolol made me really sleepy because I go on walks with my nan and it was only first part of the walk and I was tired out and always used to cry I was tired. Another one of my medications were Gabapentin which my me very naught at school and I used to get very angry at home with my brother and my mum.

What’s your life like outside school?
It’s a lot better out of school because I’ve had a lot of help of the doctors and especially my mum when it comes to my life. My mum always helps me with my homework and when it comes to solving bullies at school.

How do you feel about the support at school?
I feel I needed more support in school but now I'm in an academy my other school there is lots of support in there through my mum helping me. I feel a lot more cared about in this school then my other one I haven't one problem.

How do you feel about the future?
I feel the future will be better when my school has a lot better knowledge of tremors and when teachers know how I feel. When I am older and I’m getting a job and I struggle with the thing I do and help about my career.