tics Archives - Tourettes Hope Center

Living with Tourettes – What is it Like?

May 26, 2020May 26, 2020 by risacovi

Living with Tourettes Syndrome and the difficulties of everyday life.

Thousands of children and teenagers currently live with Tourettes and the tics associated with this disorder. According to one CDC study, 1 out of every 360 kids between the ages of 6-17 living in the US have received a diagnosis of TS. This condition mostly affects boys, as they are 3-5 times more likely to have it than girls. Additionally, kids between the ages of 12-17 are twice likely to have Tourette’s compared to those between the ages of 6-11.

However, the media has portrayed the wrong information about Tourette’s. It often attributes poorly delivered speeches, misspoken sentiments, and offending behavior to Tourette’s Syndrome. One of the best ways to understand what living with Tourette’s feel like is to hear what people with that condition have to say.

Kids and Teenagers Living With Tourettes Syndrome

According to this interview, here’s what people living with Tourette’s Syndrome this syndrome have to say about the condition and their tics.

“Tourette’s can be hilarious, but you can hurt yourself like badly. It can stop you from walking. You know, I still have my entire body weight behind me when my Tourette’s launches me onto the floor. Sometimes I can feel one coming, especially the really loud ones. The ones that feel like there’s some sort of bubbling inside you like waiting to come out. I can sort of tell when they’re coming. But a lot of them are just completely out of the blue. Tourette’s does not care about you. It’s not your friend. It lives inside your head and tells you to do something no normal person in their right mind will ever do.”

“Everyone is so different. My neck twitches and my head jerks. For me that really hurts. I get back problems and all sorts of stuff. Tourette’s is more scary. You never know when it’s gonna happen. So when I was younger, I used to try and suppress my tics a lot because it made me anxious.”

“Some people can be really cruel and say some really horrible things. I have people trying to fold me in. It’s such an invasion of my kinda personal space. For someone to actually be filming me just while I’m sitting down trying to have something to eat. That’s very hard to think back on. The reason why I love being with other people with Tourette’s is because I’m not constantly playing that role. I can completely just let go.”

Conclusion

People living with Tourettes have regular tics. Tics are characterized by repetitive movements or sounds that can not be controlled. For example, they may blink, blurt out certain sounds, or shrug their shoulders uncontrollably. The tics associated with TS can not be stopped. Kids living with this condition struggle every day to live normal lives and sometimes it can be very difficult.

Although we may not fully understand what it means to live with tics, we can do our part by accommodating such ones and not making life harder than it already is for them.

People living with Tourettes need all the love, care, reassurance, and encouragement they can get.

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Parenting Tourettes Syndrome Children

May 23, 2020May 23, 2020 by risacovi

Parenting Tourettes Syndrome Children is a daunting task

Tourette’s Syndrome is a nervous system disorder that is characterized by tics (unwanted sounds or repetitive movements such as shrugging shoulders, blinking the eyes repeatedly, facial movements, and coughing, and throat clearing).

Parents of children or teenagers who have been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome have a responsibility as primary caregivers. Hence, they must help their child cope with this condition and grow into confident and successful adults. Here are a few ways they can do this.

1. Learn about the Condition

The first step in caring for your child is to learn everything about Tourette’s and the uncontrollable tics associated with the condition. When you understand your child’s condition, you’ll be equipped to provide all the support he/she needs. You can consult your physician or check articles on the internet to help you understand the condition better.

2. Seek Out Support

Additionally, you don’t have to deal with everything alone as a parent. Many parents often avoid seeking help because of the stigma associated with Tourette’s and the mental conditions associated with it. Because of the stigma, parents may find it hard to talk about it because they don’t want their children or other parents to know.

If your child has this condition, look for parents group or support groups that can provide the needed help. This way, you won’t have to do it all alone.

3. Provide Emotional Support

Your child’s self-esteem and confidence is greatly affected by how others react to the symptoms of Tourette’s. Hence, it is very important that parents help build the self-esteem of their kids. They should also help them improve their social skills so they make friends at school. When you’re always there to support your child, they will feel better about themselves.

To properly help your child, you have to deal with your own response to the diagnosis. These responses include fear, anger, guilt, isolation, and denial. The way you react to the diagnosis will affect the quality of your care. React to this response with accurate information about their condition. Only then will you be able to provide the needed support.

4. Seek Adequate Treatment Options

There is no cure for Tourette’s syndrome but there are behavioral treatments and medications that can help your child. As a parent, it is your duty to make sure that you provide all the services your child needs to live a productive and satisfying life. Your child may also benefit from psychological counseling which can help them with their social life and self-esteem issues.

Sometimes, the severity of the tics and co-occurring conditions may warrant the use of mediations in certain children. Hence, it is advised that you work with a physician to give your child the best treatment possible.

Conclusion

Every child is unique and as such, would respond differently to the condition. Some may handle their condition better while others may not. It is your responsibility as a parent to pay attention to your child and provide the needed support. Be aware of the challenges your kids face at school. This will help you treat them better and help them cope with negative social experiences they may have. This way, your child can excel in all areas of his or her life.

Parenting Tourettes Syndrome children is a noble task. Get all the help you can!

Helping Kids With Tourette’s Syndrome at School

May 20, 2020 by risacovi

Helping Kids With Tourette’s Syndrome at School and at Home

Helping Kids with Tourette's Syndrome - https:touretteshopecenter.com — Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

For most children and teenagers who experience Tourette’s syndrome, the disruptive nature of their tics makes them embarrassed. They may be ridiculed or rejected by their peers at school. These youngsters may be misunderstood by their teachers, hence, their actions may be considered deliberate.

These kids may have a hard time staying focused in school if they feel that their peers may be noticing their tics. They may also find it difficult to make friends at school. This could be because other kids are unsure about them or because they feel embarrassed about their condition.

However, parents and teachers can do a lot to make these kids perform better at school and to make healthy friendships.

Strategies for Helping Kids With Tourette’s

1. Adopt a Personalized Approach

To successfully help children or teenagers with Tourette’s, you have to understand that each of them is unique and they would all be affected differently. As such, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for every kid with Tourette’s. To develop a plan that will work for a child, use the results from their evaluation as well as the knowledge you already have of them.

2. Ensure that the Teacher has a Good Understanding of Tourette’s

Leaving your child in the care of a teacher who doesn’t have a proper understanding of Tourette’s is a recipe for disaster. This is because it can affect not just the child with the condition but others around that child. Make sure the teacher understands the condition enough to offer the proper care. Such a teacher will need to give appropriate information about the child’s condition to their peers or classmates. This will go a long way in preventing bullying.

Teachers also need to understand that the child or teenager with this condition will have no control when the sensation of the tic begins. Although certain kids can delay the tic for some time, they can not stop it. Hence, disciplining or punishing the child won’t work.

3. Provide a Separate Testing Location

As stated earlier, children or teenagers with this condition have no control over tics. This can prevent them and their classmates from focusing on tests. To prevent this, provide a separate testing location where the child can tic without distracting others. This way, they can focus on their test.

4. Encourage them to Participate in Extracurricular Activities

Physical activities have been shown to decrease tics in certain kids. Therefore, encourage children and teenagers with Tourette’s to engage in sports. This will help them reduce their tics. It is also a good way for them to bond with their peers. Extracurricular activities will hell them to develop their social skills and make more friends.

Conclusion

It is important to note that tics can increase over time, especially during the teen years. You may need to try different strategies and treatment methods for the child or teenager as they go through school. However, when you give them the needed support, you can help the child succeed academically and socially.

If you want to help build our Tourettes Hope Center in Hollywood Fl, please contact us…