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This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 6,117 times.
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a condition that affects the nervous system that causes people the have tics. It is usually diagnosed when a child is between 5 and 10 years old, which means you will have to start advocating for your loved one early in life and as they age.[1] TS can disrupt everyday life if you and your family do not understand how to handle it. In order to help your loved one with TS, you should be more informed about the disease, help your loved one feel more comfortable, and look for support from others.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Taking Care of Your Family Member
Treat your loved one the same. Despite your loved one having TS, you should not treat them as if there is something wrong. It is a medical condition, not a character trait or single defining factor in your loved one's life. Your loved one will still have the same dreams, desires, interests, and hobbies as any other family member. The worst thing you can do is treat your loved one's TS as if it is a detriment to you family that you always have to focus on.- This does not mean that you should ignore your loved one's TS, but make sure you don't make it seem like a burden.
- Encourage your loved one's dreams, such as singing, writing, or sports. All these activities are possible with TS.[2]
Don't feel guilty. If your child is diagnosed with TS, understand that there is no need to feel guilty. Trying to decide if something you did caused your child's condition or if your genes contributed to the condition is not helpful. If another family member has TS, you should also not feel guilty for not having it or feel sorry for them because they have it.- This can only make your loved one feel bad about having TS, which is not at all what you want. This can make your life and your loved one's life unnecessarily uncomfortable and stressful.[3]
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Help your loved one get involved. Getting your loved one involved in an activity can help manage the tics. Often times, getting engrossed in an activity will help your loved one's tics become less frequent and milder.- Even less active activities, such as painting, playing music, or writing can help.
- This includes sports, hobbies, exercise, or any other activity that keeps your loved one's mind occupied.[4]
Discuss the condition with your friends. If your loved one has TS, you want him or her to feel comfortable whenever anyone visits your house. This is true for your friends as well as your loved one's friends. Even just mentioning the condition to your friends will help them not be surprised when your loved one tics.- It can be as easy as explaining your loved one's specific tic so your friends know what to expect.
- Your loved one's friends will already know about the tics, but if you find that his or her friends want more information or are curious, offer your knowledge to them. If you see your loved one's friends being disrespectful, take them aside and discuss the behavior with them.[5]
Talk to your loved one's school. Having TS can make school problematic for your loved one. The tics may cause other students to tease or bully your loved one or be distracted in class. Your loved one's tics may also be bad enough to cause difficulty writing or reading in class. This can make school an unhappy place to be, which is the opposite of what you want.- Collaborate with your loved one's school administrators and teachers to come up with a way to handle the situation. This can be an intensive process, but with classroom management techniques, educational policies, and some other special considerations, your child can have a great school experience.[6][7]
- Your child may try to stop the tics, which can cause distraction in class. [8]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Working on Your Family Dynamics
Explain the disorder to your other children. When your child is diagnosed with TS, you need to explain the condition to your other children. Your child's siblings may feel left out if a brother or sister if getting more attention because your family is dealing with TS.- Some siblings will step up and take care of his or her sibling.
- This can be tough to manage, but just make sure you pay attention to each of your children in their own way. This may be tough to understand, but each of your children want to know they have your attention and love.[9]
- Tell your other children, "Although I may spend a little more time with your sibling, he/she needs my help more than you do sometimes. This doesn't mean I love you any less."
- For example, if you have to do something specific with your child that has TS, make some time to spend one on one with your other children so they don't feel left out or as if they aren't getting the same attention.
Discuss the disorder with your loved ones. If a loved one with TS isn't your child but another family member, such as a grandpa, grandma, aunt, or uncle, you need to make sure you discuss the condition with your family. Your children may not understand the condition or be afraid of it because they aren't sure what it means.- Just be honest with they and make them aware of the condition so no one is surprised or confused.[10]
- Tell your family, "Someone in our family has Tourette Syndrome. This means he/she has motor and verbal tics that he/she cannot control. Don't stare or make fun of him/her."
Accept that your family will be different. It may be hard to get used to having a family member with TS, but this doesn't mean your life will be hard. Your life will likely not look exactly like others, especially if your loved one's TS tics are severe. But try to see this new family structure as a strength.- Pay attention to your loved one with TS in public. Embrace the new way your family looks by joining other families with TS in events. Just try to do activities that make the TS part of your life instead of ignoring it.[11]
Take time to adjust your life. Once you accept your new life, learn to adjust to your new life in a way that will not make your loved one with TS feel like an burden. Look on the difference in your family as a strength, not a weakness.- This means that you should keep doing as much as possible of those things that you did before your child was diagnosed. Go on vacation, go to the store, go to the movies if possible. If you keep doing all those things that your family always loved to do that are still possible, the Tourette Syndrome will fee less like a burden.
- If you are the main caregiver of a loved one with TS, you may need a break from time to time. This will help you recharge and not feel overwhelmed by your caregiver tasks.[12]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Getting Informed
Consider the symptoms. One of the best ways you can help your family member is to get more informed about the condition. TS affects the nervous system, which manifests as tics. Tics are sudden movements, twitches, or sounds that people perform without the ability to stop. Tics will get worse when the person is stressed or worried and will calm down when the person is focused on an activity. When your child's TS is first manifesting, the tics will likely be in the head and neck area. The tics can manifest as:- Motor tics, which are movements of the body such as shrugging the shoulders, jerking an arm, or blinking
- Vocal tics, which are sounds made with the voice such as clearing the throat, humming, or yelling a phrase or single word
- Simple tics, which only involve a few parts of the body such as sniffing or squinting the eyes
- Complex tics, which involve multiple parts of the body and completed in a pattern, such as shaking the head while lifting the arm then jumping in the air.[13]
Figure out treatments for TS. The treatment options for your loved one's TS will vary depending on the severity of the tics. If the tics are not extreme or do not disrupt normal activities and everyday life, your loved one may not need any treatment options. However, if the tics are disruptive, violent, or severe, your loved one may be on medication, do therapy such cognitive behavior therapy or talk therapy, or undergo a combination of these treatments.- The treatment options for your loved one may also change over time as the TS evolves.
- Treatment will also include those for any co-occurring conditions as well.[14]
Look for additional conditions. Many people with TS will also have additional mental, behavioral, or developmental condition. 86% of children diagnosed with TS have a co-occurring condition, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).- Other common co-occurring conditions include anxiety, depression, speech or language problems, or conduct disorder (CD).
- These additional issues will need to be treated as well, so make sure your doctor keeps a check on these as well.[15]
Ask the doctor. When a family member is diagnose with TS, you should ask the doctor about the condition. The doctor will be able to explain exactly how TS affects your loved one, what treatments are necessary for your loved one, and how you can help manage TS.- Your loved one's doctor will be able to help you understand exactly what your loved one's tics are, help you track how they change over time, and keep up with possible treatment options if your loved one's condition changes.[16]
- If you can't find a doctor that specialized in TS, there are online locators to help find one that may work better for you and your family.
Do online research. Even if you have asked your doctor for information, you may still have questions or concerns about how to live your daily life with a loved one with TS. Looking online for help can provide you with great resources from official organizations as well as other people who are dealing with similar issues as you.- The Center for Disease Control (CDC), Tourette Association of America, Mayo Clinic, and other state or local associations have invaluable resources for those with TS and their families.
Find a local support group. If you still need help understanding TS, look for a local TS support group. These groups are made for those with TS and their families. The support groups can help you figure out how to better treat the condition and learn better ways live with TS in your life.- Support groups, such as local chapters of the Tourette Syndrome Association, also have the added bonus of providing much needed personal and emotional support for you and your family while dealing with TS.
- You will be able to find other families or parents dealing with TS, who may be able to trade tips and resources on how to help your loved one.[17]
- To look for a support group, find online locators that list groups in your area or ask your doctor for a recommendation.
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References
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/facts.html
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/parent-family-resources/
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/parent-family-resources/
- ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tourette.html#
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/families.html
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/resources/overview/tools-for-educators/managing-classroom-ts-child/
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/resources/education-advocacy-basics/
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/families.html
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/parent-family-resources/
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/parent-family-resources
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/parent-family-resources/
- ↑ https://www.tourette.org/about-tourette/overview/living-tourette-syndrome/parent-family-resources/
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/facts.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tourette-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-20163628
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/otherconcerns.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tourette-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-20163628
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/families.html
About this article
Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
Professional Counselor
This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011. This article has been viewed 6,117 times.
Co-authors: 4
Updated: August 4, 2021
Views: 6,117
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 6,117 times.
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