Jacob's Syndrome
XYY Child
This is Joanthan's history as accurately as I can report and is updated with significant events in Jonathan's life, and how he handles those events. If the reader needs an issued elaborated, feel free to write me at the e-mail at the end of this journal.
Special note: (Since we had advanced warning!) Before Jonathan was born, we the parents had a strategy. My wife would work with him on reading and speech. Knowing that teachers are human, we planned ahead to send Jonathan to school in school uniform, clean, well rested, well cared for. If the teachers had a well-cared for kid, they would also treat him like a well-cared child. My wife would be a planted spy, under the guise of a volunteer at school. I would take over his educational development after he left the sixth grade. Between regular jobs, I will substitute teach in Jonathan's district. We also moved out of the city before Joanthan entered kindergarten.
I decided to put humous incidents in blue type, toward the end of this journal.
TO SCAN QUICKLY, LOOK FOR WORDS IN RED, ISSUES THAT MAY CONCERN XYY PARENTS.
I think he's pretty much a normal kid. No one has ever approached me and my wife and asked if Jonathan was different. So far I have not been able to detect a XYY personality. I suspect he's about six months behind his peers in maturity (Jun 07).
My wife had 3 or 4 aborted babies one after another, then it seemed that “Jonathan” was going to make the full term. The counselors called us in for a session. We were told that Jonathan would be slow, might be criminally inclined, tall and awkward, may even have an excessive sex drive. We were advised that an abortion could be an option being that we might not want our lifestyles burdened. [We were 38 years old, and these are young counselors were referring to studies that have long been questioned. Their opinions were from their point of reference. If you are really worried about your child being XYY, consul with older people. The young counselors failed to mentioned that billions and billions of XYY’s must have exited before the discovery of the gene and no one ever noticed. When I told friends and relatives about Jonathan, they simply responded, “There‘s nothing wrong with Jonathan.” Having kept a close eye on Jonathan has not helped to recognize other XYY children.]
[7th grade]
I remember we were told to take Jonathan for a check up when he was reaching puberty.
So very recently, we spooked our ourselves when I told my wife I seen a section on XXY(!) in a biology text. I set a panic situation in motion. We convinced Jonathan's doctor that he was XXY, but still disbelieving, he got us an appointment anyway. At the appointment, they pulled out Jonathan's file, and he's XYY. He's fine but has large hands. We were told to take him back for an examination when he was sixteen.]
As expected we were shocked from the implications, especially of an excessive sex drive.
We flatly said no to an abortion. We wanted a child, and anything and everything he needed we would provide.
We flatly said no to an abortion. We wanted a child, and anything and everything he needed we would provide.
Low Intelligence
After Jonathan was born, we watched for the worst, ceaselessly watching for signs of low intelligence. At 3 or 4 years, it was obvious that Jonathan had a diction problem but was quite articulate. My wife enrolled Jonathan into a speech class in local elementary school. Jonathan attended speech until kindergarten. Going back to Jonathan’s first two years, we had seen some instances where he clearly demonstrated high intelligence. When he was two years old, I was complaining that I could not find my watch. Then there comes Jonathan with the watch. Very early when he could walk, I trained him to stop in his tracks---one time it saved his life as he attempted to run across the street with a car approaching. But we still looked for signs of low intelligence.
My wife worked with Jonathan on reading, I worked with him on math. In kindergarten he was sharp, helping other students after doing his own work. From Kindergarten to 4th grade, we had teachers (seriously) asking if Jonathan could go home with them. Now the teachers stopped asking because he‘s going to be a teenager soon!
From first to third grade we had tobe hard on him for him to do his homework. On one occasion we had to do the double whammy: I grabbed one arm, my wife the other, and both of us spanked a cheek.
Today at 12, he takes it upon himself to complete his homework.
His Sat-9 (percentile) scores are high, incredibly high in math.
We sent Jonathan to school in school uniforms, always clean, and wide awake. We even moved out of the city’s school district for Jonathan‘s sake.
The kid steps over his own foot
In fifth grade, his awkwardness came to light. In addition, he did not seemed to keep focused (glancing away) on the play in baseball practice. He made the baseball team, barely. In the practice, during the final tournament, the ball tipped off his mitt, and caught him on the nose. Days later, he had to be careful about sneezing because his nose would bleed. He failed the basket ball try outs. He does appear to be awkward. I think the “glancing away” problem is going away.
Physically
Jonathan has big hands (acquired from his mother's side). It seems every six months he needs a new optical prescription. He seems to tire easy. He may require more than normal dental care (update on this later).
Aggressiveness
During the summer prior to 6th grade, I talked him into joining Shotakan karate. Kids were picking on him. My wife taught him not to fight. My wife volunteering at his school probably had something to do with it. He was getting picked on so much, that I made a commitment to see him through karate classes, my wife threatened the principal with a law suit, and we now we tell Jonathan, “Hit so hard, that he won’t do it again.” My wife told the principal that Jonathan has permission to fight. [Yes, he fights back or gets even. He does not discriminate among his peers---short, tall, fat, color, it doesn't matter. But he won't strike girls, however. Jun 07.]
At this time, March 2005, Jonathan gets in the last lick. [He is revengeful.]
He is bossy with his peers but is wonderful with younger children. He is reserved with adults, and shy about asking for things from authority figures (teachers and karate instructor).
He about 5‘2” (my height 5'2", mother 5‘5“), and is awed by his own height. He weights about 147 pounds. (we expect him to shoot up farther.) I think he’s now starting to give all he has in karate class. [But turns out he remained causal about karate.]
Behavior problems
In early grade school, he started picking his nose but then he would shove the same nose-picking finger into his mouth! It took, it seems, two years for us to get him to stop doing that.
Jonathan was always a baby who kept himself occupied. As a baby he was perfect.
Nowadays, he is headstrong, especially when he knows he is right. He catches on real quick, many times, faster than the other students in class. But I think, especially in language studies, he will write only the minimum required. He had to be strongly encouraged to work out his math problems. After all these years, he can almost read and pronounce anything written in the English Language, including scientific terms from zoology and chemistry. When I want to scare, impress, or show off to people, I have Jonathan read Latin (prayer book).
Jonathan is fine a human being, and a God sent. I could not ask for anything more in a child.
Those people with XYY children may e-mail directly with questions. Be sure to put "Jacob's Syndrome" somewhere in the subject heading.
Those people with XYY children may e-mail directly with questions. Be sure to put "Jacob's Syndrome" somewhere in the subject heading.
UPDATES WILL COME: Today, Mar 7, 2006, he stands 5 feet, 4 inches. His Sat-9 scores are coming soon.
UPDATE: Mar 13, 05. Jonathan's progress report, straight B+'s except for Spelling: A. Jonathan has had a job tutoring a first grader for two months now.
UPDATE; MAR 30, 2005. Jonathan decides to give up karate. He's gets tired from P.E. at school. He says he will return to karate next summer.
UPDATE: SEP 23, 2005. Jonathan is 5'6", 178 lbs., doing fine at school. His interest is Zoology.
UPDATE: DEC 29, 2005. Jonathan is close to 6 feet, 187 lbs., on the wrestling team (7th grade), C- grades in math and science. Part time job: tutoring two elementary school children. Jonathan doesn't seem to need new glasses. Jonathan is enrolled in the Broadcasting class at his school. Jonathan is hooked on playstation games. C- grades are abig concern for his parents. Jonathan's big, strong hands have helped him to deal with "would-be" bullies.
UPDATE: August 12, 2006. Jonathan just started school, eighth grade. His California Achievement Test scores just came in the mail today. He scored barely in the advanced level of English-Language Arts and scored better in the advanced level of Mathematics.
His nation wide percentile is:
Reading 54, Language 83, Spelling 52, mathematics 77
Jonathan is big. He does not get picked on.
Date: Aug 31, 2006. Jonathan is feeling pressured I sense. First, he's the number 1 ranking in his algebra class. Secondly, the same algebra teacher who gave him a D in algebra has asked him to tutor kids after school. (Jonathan showed he was prepared for Geometry (scored the highest in his class on the pre-geometry test, but the staff decided he should repeat algebra.] He's also facing the duty of attending sport events for his video production class which seems like a real job. He's let go of tutoring kids (for pay) for now.
UPDATE: Dec 7th, 2006. Jonathan is 5'8' and weights 196 pounds. He failed to win any wrestling matches in the 7th grade, today he won his first match in an exhibtion. I caught him on camera glancing away into a far away land while the wrestling coach is talking to the team!
UPDATE: Dec 11th, 2006. Dec 8, Jonathan is elected senator from his class room.
UPDATE: Feb 5, 2007. Recently Jonathan was drafted by a math teacher to participate in a math competition at the local state university. He is still angry about it because he was not asked---he was told. Jonathan had to repeat algebra even thou he scored the highest on pre-geometry test. Jonathan finally decided to go because I supposely badgered him about it. Jonathan completed his wrestling season, one win (demostration) and one lost (tournament). He is big. Remember, I am only 5'2". Sometimes I turn and his height shocks me. He's 5'8", weights app. 198 pounds. He has a somewhat heavy built. He's hardheaded, and can be somewhat insolent, arrogant. But I know his personality because it's very similar to mine. Violent, he is not. Yes, he continues with his interest sincea young child, zoology, as he has taken to looking forward to take agri science at one of the high schools next year. He still plays video games, and keeps firends who live close by. (We live in the county where blocks are long.)
He has shown interest to continue wrestling (free style this time). He has accepted that I won't allow him to play baseball (too dangerous because of the steal-like ball andhe is awkward and he still glances away) or football (too expensive and coaches take it too seriously). Although he elects on his own to wrestle, he's rather nonchalant about it. But looking forward to taking those science agri courses, he is serious.
UPDATE: Feb 7, 2007. Jonathan changed his attitutde about the math competition when he found out the competition was to take place at the local university.
DENTAL: Jonthan has a problem with his teeth in that some of his baby teeth are not growing out right.
GLASSES: Jonathan needs a new prescription every year.
HORMONES: Jonathan, when displaying concern, worry, or pressure, it has to do with many school projects he has to finish. We have not detected any concern about girlfriends. [Jonathan is normal in this regard; yes, he likes girls, but demonstrates more concern about high school. Jun 07]
UPDATE: March 8, 2007. Jonathan needs extensive dental work [and will not be able to wrestle]. Jonathan handles pressure well. He says his video production teacher leaves the "stressful" projects for him to complete. Right now, Jonathan is underdoing some razing from his classmates when today one kid jokingly started calling him H i t l er and J e w K i l l e r. We are standing by to see how Jonathan handles that. [It seems history is repeating. Jonathan took a lot of razing in Elementary school because his mother volunteered at school. Today I was at his school substitute teaching.]
UPDATE: March 17, 2007. Yesterday, Jonathan said that the name-calling kid was called into the vice-principal's office. The teacher was forced to involve the principal when the kid continued the name calling. It seems Jonathan wheathered out the storm well enough on his own.
I told Jonathan, in the situation above, it probably helps that he has heavy guns, me, his Dad, who substitutes at his school. Nonetheless, he is a well-behaved kid at school.
Joanthan told me, he doesn't do any more than he has to in class. When asked if he wants to pass out books, collect papers, etc. in class, he tells the teachers he only wants to do what he has to.
Yesterday, for the first time, Jonathan described/admitted a strategy to become number one in class.
Grades: Jonathan will let a class grade go down. Then in two days he catches up under pressure. Like his science teacher told me, he informed Jonathan of his D grade on his progress report. Jonathan said clamly okay. It's amazing to watch him catch up and not become frustrated.
Jonathan was playing card games at school. Recently, a math teacher, who is mentioned earlier, asked Jonathan why he associates with certain kids. I think this influenced Jonathan to find a different crowd.
UPDATE: MAY 9, 2007. Well, Jonathan did find a different crowd, but a crowd of one, a girl, who appears to be a very decent human being. Jonathan dresses himeself like a typical middle class child; he doesn't dress to fit in. And really has never been a member of "in crowd" at school. He's pretty much his own person. Jonathan has been really understanding that sometimes we are low on cash. He refuses to do chores for the teachers, like collecting papers, passing out books, and such.
Confrontation: This happened about a year from this update, and I am not suppose to know about it. There was a female deputy who harrassed Jonathan's mom with calls to the SPCA complaining that his mom was straving an old skinny horse. Jonathan met the deputy at a school function. There he confronted the deputy [about her knowledge of animals] in front of a crowd of fellow students. The teacher standing by let him speak. The deputy said the wrong thing, "Young man, who in the hell are to speak to me that way." The deputy was removed from the school function.
Bull in a china shop: Also about a year before this update, Jonathan was playing with the pellet rifle. [We live in the county.] His mom was flushing out mice with water. The ground was muddly, and his mom trusting that the rifle wasn't loaded (beause Jonathan said so), turned her back. Jonathan slipped in the mud, the rifle went off against his mom's back, the pellet stopping right before hitting her kidney. He breaks machinery. He's so big, it's easy to confused his size with his level of maturity.
Jonathan will soon undergo massive dental work.
UPDATE: Jun 4, 2007. Jonathnan will be promoted to eighth grade. Jonathan is wearing braces, and will undergone dental surgery soon. On portfilio day he wore black shoes, black slacks, red shirt, and a bluish Jerry Garcia tie. He picked out the clothes. He said he didn't worry much about the interview; it wasn't a real interview for a real job. He said the other kids spoke softly and nervously while he spoke normally. He oftens questions whether to go into biology or seek an outright zoology program. He was interested in Marine biology until he realized there aren't any babes out there in the ocean.
UDATE: Jun 8, 2007. Yesterday Jonathan had his promotion ceremony to enter high school. He obtained a merit certificate for having at least a 3.5 grade point average.
Not mentioned any where is Jonathan's behavior in regards to completing a task. But he not neat about projects. Recently, being interested in Japanese samurai/culture, Jonathan took a 2" x 4" x 8" board and hand-planed and carved it down to resemble a 8 foot sword.
UPDATE: Jun 13, 2007. Yesterday Jonathan underwent oral surgery. The surgeon removed six teeth. Next, the cacaines are to be chained to be pulled downward.
In grade school, the kids discovered that Jonathan vormited easily. At lunch time his classmates would open their mouths, full of food, to show Jonathan. And there vormits Jonathan each and every time. My wife couldn't convince anyone at school to stop the kids form making Jonathan chuck up his food. Finally, my wife convinced Jonathan to vormit on any kid that made him vormit. Joanthan did just that. Jonathan chucked up on one kid, that in turn started a chain reaction. That took care of one Jonathan's problems.
Update: April 28, 2008. Jonathan is fine. He's 15 years old, 9th grader. Last grade report, Dec 2007: English B, World grography A, Biology A, 3-D design A, Spanish B, Geometry A, PE A, Freshman Requirements B.
Jonathan helps me to pronounce biological terms like names of gems and diseases (for my new job). He is able to discuss biology, and knows a lot about animals. His goals are to obtain double B.S. degrees of biology/veterinary science. He does not have an "in-crowd". He is shy about asking girls out, or there isn't a girl that makes him act like a teenage fool in love. He stated to learn to play guitar. He doesn't play those video games as much, listening more to music on his cell phone. He watches his weight and has the discipline to stop eating certain junk fools. He can be scary when he is angry because of his size. He says he does not hit little guys, but throws them. He is as big as some of the seniors. He has the good guy temperment which probably encourages teasing from some students. He is quick to get annoyed but slow to get angry.
UPDATE: NOV 27, 2009
Jonathan recently landed a job in the school's library. He also attended an out-of-town convention of students who debate social, political, and economic issues. He has failed to maintain a very high grade point average, but he's taking courses like zoology, trigonometry, anatomy, Advanced Placement history.
NOTE: I, the father have posted this journal for other XYY parents to read for encouragement. I remember well, my great worries through Jonathan's early years, but always I have been happy to have him for a child. Jonathan does not talk about the subject, but will answer research questions.
Jonathan will become annoyed at females asking the same questions. He claims his mom plays "20 questions". When a female interviewer asked drug related questions over the phone, Jonathan became quite angry. Days later a male interviewer called and finished the interview without any problems. [The interviewers track kids'reactions to commericals.]
