Tourette Syndrome and tic disorder

I have been trained in CBIT which stands for Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics to help treat children and adults with Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders.  

“CBIT is a non-medicated treatment consisting of three important components:

(a) Training the patient to be more aware of his or her tics and the urge to tic.

(b) Training patients to do competing behavior when they feel the urge to tic.

(c) Making changes to day to day activities in ways that can be helpful in reducing tics.

Many of these strategies are already commonly used in the management of TS symptoms. Many adults with TS report that they have come up with strategies similar to CBIT to manage their tics. CBIT takes the most effective concepts and blends them with strategies that aid people in learning the techniques quickly.

There is no question that tics are neurological in nature. However, tics are often also extremely sensitive to the environment in which they occur. Every person with TS has experienced certain situations that make his or her tics worse. Similarly, most people with TS know that other situations or activities help calm their tics. CBIT attempts to help children and adults familiarize themselves and identify environmental factors that make their tics worse. CBIT also teaches skills on how to create environments that are more stable, predictable and easily manageable.

Large, multi-site, National Institutes of Health-funded studies show that more than half of the people who undergo CBIT will have significant reductions in tic severity and improved ability to function. Complete elimination of all tics and other TS symptoms does happen occasionally in CBIT. CBIT is not a cure for TS but a tool that helps individuals better manage their tics and improves their quality of life.

A recent study showed that 87% of participants who thrived with CBIT continued to do well six months after treatment. Remember CBIT is not a cure; it is a management strategy. Patients learn a set of management skills that can be applied for the rest of their lives as needed, ” (Tourette Association of America).

I look forward to meeting you and helping you manage and improve either you or your child’s life with Tourette Syndrome or Tic disorder.