Given how Tourette Syndrome is so wildly misunderstood, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s an ultra-rare disease, and that people living with it are as elusive as a Bigfoot.
Who, me?
On both counts, you’d be wrong: As many as 1 out of every 160 kids between 5 and 17 has Tourette Syndrome. That’s not insignificant.
That many? I had no idea…
But myths and stereotypes about Tourette still abound. Add those myths and stereotypes to the pressure cooker of school—alongside other issues kids face like social standing, peer pressure, and bullying—and you have a potentially explosive recipe.
So what should kids with Tourette Syndrome and their parents do? Where can they turn for support and advice? It’s not like your average school has stacks of Tourette resources just lying around.
Fortunately, the Tourette Association of America has your back.
Their website has a wealth of resources and tools for everyone from patients to parents to law enforcement (to help differentiate between a patient with physical tics versus a twitchy suspect).
When you go, be sure to check out their Events Blog—many of their events are webinars and Twitter discussions, so you can participate no matter where you live.
Some recent topics include:
- an anti-bullying chat
- discrimination based on disability
- classroom strategies
- understanding explosive outbursts
The blog gets updated regularly, so visit it every week or so to see what’s been added and what’s coming soon.
There’s a lot to explore, so what are you waiting for? Head on over there right now!
And above all, remember you’re not alone with Tourette Syndrome, and you’ve got a whole community out there to lift you up and drive you forward.
