Introduction
According to Claussen et al. (2018), Tourette syndrome (TS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that first appears in early childhood or early adolescence, and it forms part of the Tic disorders spectrum and presents with vocal and motor tics as the main clinical features. The exact origin of this condition is unknown, but it is believed to result from mutations in inherited genes or genetic changes that occur during developmental stages in the womb. The genetic changes lead to altered interneuron communication and imbalance in neurotransmitters function (Claussen et al., 2018). Tourette’s syndrome tends to occur in concurrence with other conditions such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Tourette’s syndrome has no cure although various treatment and management options are available (Claussen et al., 2018). Documented statistics show that Tourette’s syndrome affects 1 in every 160 children in the United States while 1 in every 100 children suffers from one of the Tic disorders including Tourette’s disorder (Claussen et al., 2018). This means Tourette,s syndrome is a common condition that requires special attention especially on how the affected children should be treated in public schools and more so in classes. This should include teaching the regular or unaffected children the importance of embracing and respecting their affected counterparts without discriminating them as will be discussed below.
Public Schools
In relation to Tourette’s syndrome in public school children, most of time the concentration has been on how to manage children with the condition without attaching the necessary importance to the non-disabled counterparts. These “regular” children need to be taught about Tourette’s syndrome in schools as well as at home so that they get to understand the condition as this is critical as they interact with their disabled counterparts during learning. This can be done by occasionally inviting experts and public speakers to public schools so that they can talk to these children about the condition. This should cover all the other conditions so that these children grow up knowing that these conditions are part of our lives and everyone including them and their close relatives can be affected. This can also be done through peer presentations and conducting successful peer group seminars and training about Tourette’s syndrome. Through this, they can learn how to treat the affected individuals with love and dignity without discriminating them. Non-disabled children can also be taught about TS at home via an organized arrangement between the school and parents whereby the school provides guidelines to the parents on how they can talk to their kids and make them understand these conditions including TS.
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Wadman et al., (2016) suggested that high schools can play a major role in increasing awareness and sensitivity about Tourette’s syndrome by ensuring that teachers, students as well as other staff members actively take part in stepping up Tourette’s syndrome awareness. This can be done by encouraging the affected members regardless of their position in the school set-up to share their stories about the condition. High schools can participate in the awareness campaigns by making donations in support to those with the condition both within the school set-up and across the country. High school students and teachers can take part in Teal Tuesdays by putting on teal in the form of clothing, bracelets, nail polish, and hair accessories as a way of showing support and solidarity to those with Tourette’s syndrome. Formation of social groups or clubs that support those with the condition is another way in which high schools can increase awareness and sensitivity about Tourette’s syndrome.
Like high schools, colleges have a role to play in increasing Tourette’s syndrome awareness. This can be through making donations, offering scholarship opportunities to those with the condition ( Rivera-Navarro et al., 2014) . Colleges can also organize and sponsor seminars and talks within the colleges to spread social awareness and sensitivity of this condition ( Rivera-Navarro et al., 2014) . They can take part in Tourette’s syndrome awareness activities by printing teachers and caps that bear the intended message to promote awareness about the condition ( Rivera-Navarro et al., 2014) . Provision of special needs accommodation is another way through which colleges can promote and increase Tourette’s syndrome awareness.
Malli et al., (2016) indicated that community agencies such as after-school programs should play a starring role in promoting Tourette’s syndrome awareness and sensitivity. This can be attained through preparing and conducting functions such as press-release, EAT SLEEP TIC REPEAT CAMPAIGNS, provision of poster series for download, social media tiles for download, and preparation and organization of annual awareness campaigns.
As per Trayner and Fox (2015), teachers and other staff within the school compound need to be trained and accorded the necessary support so that they can be able to handle Tourette’s syndrome individuals because they are the people who interact with these children within the school and classrooms. So, it is a welcome idea to have these teachers and other staff trained by setting aside training days where they are taught various aspects of Tourette’s syndrome management and how to deal with children or students with this condition. This may prove beneficial as it will enhance teachers’ knowledge and awareness about the condition and student’s individual needs considering that several studies indicate that most teachers and school staff do not possess a good understanding of Tourette’s syndrome.
To prevent tragedies to individuals with Tourette’s condition in public schools the schools should organize guidance and counseling sessions to ensure that self-esteem of the affected individuals is not affected negatively (Brander et al., 2018). Schools should have erected fences to ensure that these kids remain within the school compound unless they have been granted permission to get out of the school compound.
Classroom Education
Public schools should invent ways on how to handle and deal with those with Tourette’s syndrome condition. These individuals should be integrated into every class from the gym to history, Science, and English as this assist in building up their self-esteem and grow their social skills and interactions. Learning together with regular students changes the mentality of the non-disabled students about them hence they are not discriminated against in during the learning process ( Murdick et al., 2016). These individuals should be integrated into the regular class because only little adjustments are required to ensure that these kids fit in and learn together with others ( Murdick et al., 2016). Some of these adjustments include having to seat in front of the class, introducing arrangements where students can leave the class temporarily, and creation of designated areas where they can express the tics ( Murdick et al., 2016). However, segregation may be preferred when the affected children show signs of learning disabilities and they are unable to keep up with other non-disabled children ( Murdick et al., 2016). This leaves the concerned stakeholders which include teachers and parents with no option other than to segregate these kids in special classrooms where they can be treated specially.
There are many benefits of segregating these individuals from the non-disabled ones. These benefits include the easy provision of specialized services such as learning aids, counseling, psychotherapy, behavior intervention, and sensory integration ( Murdick et al., 2016). Some arguments have been brought forward in an attempt to justify segregation as the best option for the affected individuals ( Murdick et al., 2016). It enables easy provision of specialized services that match the needs of these children ( Murdick et al., 2016). Additionally, it gives those individuals the freedom to express themselves without the fear of being intimidated or looked down upon by the non-disabled individuals.
Individual Education Plans (IEPs) work well in meeting the individual needs of specific kids. This is facilitated by through a criterion where IEPs must meet some set up minimum requirements as specified in the federal idea law. This law ensures that the IEPs document the skill level of the student at that particular time, annual target or goal for the kid, the kid progress, student’s services duration, specialized learning services for the student, a means of testing student’s adaptation, and student’s transition statement.
References
Claussen, A. H., Bitsko, R. H., Holbrook, J. R., Bloomfield, J., & Giordano, K. (2018). Impact of Tourette Syndrome on School Measures in a Nationally Representative Sample. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics: JDBP , 39 (4), 335.
Wadman, R., Glazebrook, C., Beer, C., & Jackson, G. M. (2016). Difficulties experienced by young people with Tourette syndrome in secondary school: a mixed methods description of self, parent and staff perspectives. BMC psychiatry, 16(1), 14.
Pérez-Vigil, A., de la Cruz, L. F., Brander, G., Isomura, K., Jangmo, A., Kuja-Halkola, R., ... & Mataix-Cols, D. (2018). Association of Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders with Objective Indicators of Educational Attainment: A Population-Based Sibling Comparison Study. JAMA neurology.
Malli, M. A., Forrester-Jones, R., & Murphy, G. (2016). Stigma in youth with Tourette’s syndrome: a systematic review and synthesis. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 25(2), 127-139.
Rivera-Navarro, J., Cubo, E., & Almazán, J. (2014). The impact of Tourette’s syndrome in the school and the family: perspectives from three stakeholder groups. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 36(1), 96-113.
Smith, H., Fox, J. R., & Trayner, P. (2015). The lived experiences of individuals with Tourette syndrome or tic disorders: A meta ‐ synthesis of qualitative studies. British Journal of Psychology, 106(4), 609-634.
Chaturvedi, A., Gartin, B. C., & Murdick, N. L. (2016). Tourette Syndrome: Classroom Implications. Physical Disabilities: Education and Related Services, 30(1), 53-66.
Stefl, M. E., & Rubin, M. (2014). Tourette syndrome in the classroom: special problems, special needs. Journal of school health, 55(2), 72-75.
