How to Help Loved Ones with Tourette's Syndrome
Treat your loved one the same., Don't feel guilty., Help your loved one get involved., Discuss the condition with your friends., Talk to your loved one's school.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: 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. -
Step 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., 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., 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., 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.Your child may try to stop the tics, which can cause distraction in class. -
Step 3: Help your loved one get involved.
-
Step 4: Discuss the condition with your friends.
-
Step 5: Talk to your loved one's school.
Detailed Guide
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.
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., 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., 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., 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.Your child may try to stop the tics, which can cause distraction in class.
About the Author
Jeffrey Martinez
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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