The neuropsychologist spoke about environmental adaptation for children with Tourette's syndrome

Tourette's syndrome is a genetically determined disorder of the central nervous system that manifests itself at any age and is characterized by multiple motor tics and at least one vocal one that appears many times during the day. On October 4, Maria Todorova, a neuropsychologist, child psychologist, and correctional educator, told Izvestia about how to adapt the educational environment for people with this disease.

"Tourette's syndrome is not just a collection of symptoms, but a condition that changes a child's perception of himself and his relationship with the outside world. If a minor cannot control his cries or movements and this creates a constant experience of vulnerability for him, if adults react with irritation or shame the child, this can destroy the sense of security and trust," the specialist said.

Instead, according to Todorova, a child needs unconditional acceptance from an adult who helps him maintain a sense of value and provides space for emotional support.

She noted that Tourette's syndrome is associated with the peculiarities of the brain. Uncontrolled sounds and movements occur due to disturbances in neural circuits, for example, in areas where the regulation of motor skills and sensory processing is disrupted. This condition is often accompanied by other disorders such as autism spectrum, mental retardation, or sensory impairments. Modern research confirms a genetic predisposition, but a child may have changes that are not related to heredity, but spontaneous mutations.

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"A child with Tourette's syndrome needs a special approach in education and upbringing. Severe punishments or the requirement to "stop" only aggravate the situation, since the minor is physically unable to control it. It is much more productive to create a supportive educational environment where sensory difficulties are taken into account, where the teacher is ready to adapt assignments and give the child more time," the neuropsychologist noted.

An important part of the work is also to teach peers tolerance in order to avoid bullying, which is often faced by children with Tourette's syndrome in the school community.

Correction methods include behavioral therapy aimed at developing self-regulation skills and neuropsychological correction. These approaches will not ensure the instant disappearance of ticks, but they will help the child gradually compensate for these "white spots" in neural circuits and develop the brain, which can lead to an improvement in the condition, the specialist added.

On September 30, psychologist Daria Salnikova gave advice on how to save herself from autumn depression. She noted that it is important to acknowledge your condition and allow yourself to feel a little sad, like with a cold, and then let your body and emotions recover. According to her, prevention also plays a role: it is worthwhile to take care of sleep, nutrition, walking in advance and avoid intoxication — alcohol and tobacco only worsen depressive states.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.