Objectives of this post:
1. Raise awareness with regards to some of the challenges and problems that individuals with Tourette Syndrome face
2. Seek understanding from the public that the challenging behaviour that individuals with Tourette Syndrome display, is not done on purpose
3. Prevent discrimination against individuals with Tourette Syndrome
Behavioural challenges:
- Disinhibition: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome lack the ability to consistently stop oneself from expressing what he or she thinks, or displaying actions that most typical students have the ability to control. Examples of such acts include making inappropriate comments, having emotional outbursts, swearing and throwing temper tantrums.
- Oppositional Behaviours: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome usually have related difficulties or/and conditions like OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), tics, processing difficulties, written language deficits and sensory issues that may prevent the child from expressing what he or she needs, or responding appropriately. Oppositional behaviour includes the inability to self-regulate his or her emotions, hence, causing them to have an emotional outburst. At times, the inability to self-regulate their emotions also lead to them talking back to a teacher.
- Immaturity: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome might behave in a way that may seem to be immature for their age. However, it is the neurological disorder that they have that is causing them to behave and act in a certain way that even they cannot control.
- Difficulties With Transitions: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome and anxiety will face even more difficulties with transition. Transition can be extremely fearful even for a typical individual, what more for an individual suffering from Tourette Syndrome and anxiety. Every individual requires time to adapt to changes, an individual with Tourette Syndrome might require a longer time as he or she might feel anxious and worried for having to adapt to the changes.
- Use Of Inappropriate Language (Coprolalia): The term 'Coprolalia' is known as a swearing tic that individuals with Tourette Syndrome would have. Individuals with Tourette Syndrome usually utter words or phrases that are uncontrollable and the words or phrases are socially inappropriate or unpleasant. However, these outbursts are not done on purpose. In fact, individuals with Tourette Syndrome are unable to control the words that come out of his or her mouth, as it is a tic.
Other common difficulties:
- Attentional Difficulties: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome may face difficulty in focusing because of their tics that act up constantly, and his or her obsession that can interfere with the student's ability to pay attention to class.
- Reading Difficulties: Individuals with Tourette Syndrome can face reading difficulties because of mild tics that prevents them from reading. An example of a mild tic is eye blinking, which can make reading extremely difficulty.
Symptoms include:
- Tics
- Attention hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Learning disabilities
- Sleep disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Pain related to tics, with headache being the most common pain
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