Patients with Tourette Syndrome

Patients with Tourette Syndrome Tourette syndrome falls into the category of tic disorders. A tic is an involuntary, repetitive movement or vocalization. There are several types of tic disorders, with Tourette's being one that is especially difficult to control and treat. Tourette's cannot be cured or reversed. It can however be treated by medications/therapy, and the treatments appear to be fairly successful. As a nurse, treating someone with Tourette’s can put a lot of stress on the patient and their family.

People that have Tourette's syndrome may have tics in the form of movements only. This can be blinking of the eyes, neck jerks, head twitches, and eye twitches. These movements are generally rapid and repetitive. The individual is unable to stop or control the movements which can be physically exhausting to the sufferer. Tourette syndrome can also manifest in the form of verbal tics. This condition is especially difficult as the tic related sounds can draw attention from anyone around.

Related: Things To Avoid When Your Patient Starts Crying A Tourette syndrome Patient Kayla was a 17 year old female that suffered from Tourette syndrome.

Kayla was a smart, pretty, and was determined to be a very successful young woman. Kayla had not attended public school since she was 12 years of age, it became too embarrassing for her to do so. Her vocal tics disrupted her class according to her teacher, while according to Kayla, the other children in the class mimicked her making the sounds, leading the teacher to think it was Kayla all the time. It was too much for this young woman, her mother said she would come home from school and cry for hours, so she eventually made the decision to homeschool. Kayla was prescribed several different medications, and that combined with biofeedback therapy, did eventually control her Tourette's by about 90%.

Kayla was able to attend college, and eventually became a spokesperson for the Tourette syndrome foundation. Today she travels to schools around the U.S. to educate teachers and students about Tourette's. She receives hundreds of letters each month thanking her for her work in bringing attention to this condition, and for reminding students affected by Tourette’s that they are not alone.

Understanding Tourette's syndrome Physical tics generally make it obvious that the person has a medical condition, and people understand. The vocal tics however, are not understood, and that lack of understanding is what drives others to pass judgement, or to assume this person is “faking” their condition. Vocal

Tourette's is a fairly uncommon, although in the U.S. alone about 1 in 350 people have some form of Tourette's, only 10 of the 350 have uncontrolled vocal tics.

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It is simply a condition that is difficult to understand and relate to. Imagine sitting in church next to someone who suddenly begins to make loud, indistinguishable sounds. Now just imagine what it must be like for them.

Tourette's Syndromes is a genetic disorder, and left untreated, it can get worse. For a number of years, it was considered to be a precursor to Parkinson's disease; however, that idea has proven to be incorrect. Certain neurological medications have shown to help sufferers, and bio-feedback is proving to be successful as well.

Common Conditions that Accompany Tourette's This condition often co-occurs with other neurodevelopmental conditions.

These conditions can be diagnosed prior to the Tourette's diagnosis, or at a later time.  ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, problems with concentration, hyperactivity and impulse control.  OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder, repetitive and unwanted thoughts or behaviors. The constant need to make something just right, that is essentially unattainable.  Learning difficulties, which is understandable, as the condition itself gets in the way of learning.

Other associated conditions include aggression, anxiety, sleep disorders, lack of social skills, and mood instability. It is easy to understand the frustration one might have with this condition, and anger or aggression is a way of showing such. Sleep patterns can be interrupted due to the sounds and movements of the sufferer. The lack of social skills originates from the isolation. In order to properly develop social skills, it requires you to be around people, and Tourette's makes that difficult.

When treating a patient with Tourette’s, remind yourself that this condition is a difficult one to live with if it is not under control. It can be embarrassing and extremely difficult for an individual that suffers with vocal tics. Many people become recluse and avoid going out in public at all. It is important however to understand there is hope. More than half of Tourette’s cases see improvement with the dedication of healthcare staff.

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