I am a health professional or practitioner

Advisory committee

The Association is proud to be supported by an advisory committee composed of highly qualified professionals specialising in areas linked to TS and their research.

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In the presence of a person with TS

As a health professional, when you are in the presence of a person with TS:

1. Do not take it “personal” when the person shows unfortunate behaviour. It is important to recognize that opposition and tics are symptoms of TS and outside the person’s control.
2. Use a lot of patience, calm, gentleness and understanding because irritation will only make it worse.
3. Because the symptoms (i.e. unfortunate behaviour) are aggravated when the person feels some anxiety, it is important to eliminate/decrease the source of the stress.
4. Unfortunately, there is no “miracle solution” or foolproof treatment. Medication does not always help and not every parent has the financial means to see through a full cognitive-behavioural therapy.
5. The person with TS is not a fearful “weird phenomena”. It is simply a person with special needs.
6. Establishing a relationship is important: we need to be able to ask what his or her needs are and find adapted solutions with him/her (ex.: eat a snack when hungry, allow him/her to exit the classroom to walk, etc.) He/she won’t succeed every time and the results will not be representative of the efforts invested, but his/her relationship with you will ensure collaboration and openness.
7. Anxiety comes mostly when the person feels that he or she does not have control over the events. For example, a new situation or a sudden change can generate a lot of stress. That is why we should help the person prepare in advance, as much as possible.
8. A stable environment is also reassuring. As such, it is important to let the person organize the space freely (ex.: Office) and avoid making changes or intrude in his or her «bubble» or breathing space.
9. Unrealistic requirements also create anxiety. In fact, the person will feel the stress when unable to respond to the requirement. Complex tasks should be split in smaller objectives that the person can achieve on his/her own, one step at a time.
10. The person with TS is not less smart than others on the contrary, the person is often above average.
11. The person will seem immature, naïve, even childish. The person will react impulsively and will tend to blame others instead of taking his or her part of responsibility. It is then important to guide the person through the rationale (cognitive restructuring nation) calling on his or her intelligence.
12. The person with TS is often unhappy about having this condition. The person is often rejected because of the unfortunate behaviours. Consequently, the person faces social failures (ex.: losing friends, losing jobs, etc.). In fact, the person often has a low self esteem, with all the troubles that come with that. It is important to congratulate and highlight good shots as often as possible.