What Parents Need To Know To Support Their Children With Tourette Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a condition of the nervous system and is a neurological disorder that causes people to do involuntary and repeated twitches, movements, and sounds.

People with Tourette Syndrome cannot stop themselves from doing repeated movements unwillingly. Tourette's or TS is a condition that mainly affects the brain and nerves, and as a result, they do involuntary actions. An example would be a person blinking over and over again.

Tourette's symptoms usually start between the ages of five and ten, with mild and simple tics involving the face, head, or arms. The symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can gradually change over time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Kids who have TS may be affected physically, mentally, and emotionally. Knowing about the syndrome can help kids access health care and timely diagnosis and lead healthy and productive lives. Symptoms can change over time, become more frequent, and may include more body parts, namely the trunk or legs, which will hinder them from doing certain activities in their daily lives.

What should parents do if their kids have it?

According to the CDC, 1 out of 333 (0.3%) children in the United States aged between 3-17 have received a TS diagnosis, meaning approximately 174,000 children in 2016-2019.

As the symptoms of the said condition start during childhood, kids may have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or learning difficulties, making things even more difficult for a child.

Almost ten percent of school-aged children experience the most common type of tic disorder, transient tic disorder, with symptoms that usually last for at least four months but no longer than one year. Symptoms of the aforementioned tic disorder may appear more prevalent, especially during periods of stress and fatigue, or can be because of certain medications.

Children with Tourette's may accidentally hurt themselves while having tics; thus, there are available medication and behavioral treatments as sometimes tics interfere with school work or social life, which most of the time can cause stress to the person having tics. Unfortunately, Tourette Syndrome does not have any cure, but there are treatments to help one manage the tics.

Experts say that when kids and teens are focused on an activity, their tics will appear milder and less frequent, so they suggest parents give kids sports, exercise, or hobbies that can help them divert attention from tics, Kids Health reported.

Moreover, there are no exact causes of TS yet. Research suggests that it can be an inherited genetic condition passed on from parent to child through genes.

Read Also: Spanking Is Not Effective, Can Lead to Physical Aggression and Mental Health Problems for Kids

Parents helping and supporting their children with Tourette

Many people will not understand what Tourette Syndrome looks like and how it affects a child's entire life. Thus, parents need to make their children feel that they understand their situation by helping them and building their confidence. According to Kids Health, providing kids with creative activities help them focus on their minds. Such activities may include writing, painting, or making music.

Medicines that help one manage Tourette Syndrome can have side effects and will not work for everyone, per NHS.

Related Article: Eating Habits: Feeding a Child With Autism Spectrum