Tourette's Disorder - Home Treatment

Home Treatment

Home treatment for Tourette's disorder focuses on educating yourself and others about the condition, understanding how the tics affect your child, and making changes at home and school to best accommodate your child.

Write down what kinds of tics your child has, when they get worse, and the events that happen around when the tics occur. Keeping such a record can show patterns that may help identify triggers, which can help you better manage your child's symptoms. It may also be useful if your child is starting new medicines. Be careful not to cause your child more stress by doing this. Don't approach this in a way that makes your child uncomfortable or more self-conscious than normal.

Understanding Tourette's disorder makes it possible to recognize and share with others what your child is going through. Learn as much as you can about the disorder. Your doctor, local hospitals, and community outreach programs can help you.

Changes at home and at school

There are many ways you can help your child with Tourette's disorder at home:

• Don't treat tics as willful behavior. Although tics can appear to be "on purpose" and may frustrate you, do not punish your child for having tics, and try not to show any frustration you may feel. Doing so may increase your child's anxiety and cause more tics. Remember that your child cannot control his or her tics.
• Alternate household tasks with free time.
• Notice when your child's tics get worse. Sometimes you may be able to find triggers and can help your child work through them or avoid them. But because tics that are associated with Tourette's disorder come and go, it may be difficult to know exactly why they sometimes get worse. You can help reassure your child during these times by staying calm and helping him or her to relax.
• Encourage your child to increase responsibilities at his or her own pace.

Teachers can help your child with Tourette's disorder at school if they:

• Provide more time for your child to take written tests.
• Allow your child to use a computer, word processor, or typewriter or to recite assignments rather than handwriting them if tics affect writing.
• Provide a seat where there is little distraction and some privacy.
• Allow for frequent rest periods when needed.
• Allow your child to leave the room if he or she needs to move around or let the tics occur in private.
• Set a good example for accepting your child. It is important for your child to have teachers who discourage teasing by responding quickly and firmly whenever it occurs.
• Provide tutoring, learning laboratories, or special classes if needed.

Habit reversal

If a well-trained health professional has worked with you and your child on habit reversal, continue to practice this with your child. Habit reversal focuses on creating an awareness of tic behavior and developing a response to replace the tic.