Understanding Tourette Syndrome

Understanding Tourette Syndrome provides accessible, concise, evidence-based guidelines on this neurodevelopmental disorder, offering parents and professionals a deeper scientific understanding of the condition and its consequences. Zanaboni Dina and Porta explore signs, symptoms and treatment of the disease, with the aim of demonstrating to all those involved in the life of a TS child solutions to manage a range of situations from diagnosis to day-to-day life. Therapies and social intervention, including Habit Reversal Training and Deep Brain Stimulation, are described, allowing caregivers to evaluate the best course of treatment. With a focus on improving quality of life by offering practical recommendations for managing the condition at school and in the family, it places additional emphasis on sibling relationships and the importance of childhood friendship. The authors' expert subject knowledge and extensive experience of working with children and families, makes the topic accessible for any reader, and case studies demonstrate how to apply scientific understanding of the condition to a real-life situation. This unique guide is essential reading for parents and carers, as well as practitioners in Clinical and Educational Psychology, Counselling, Mental Health, Nursing, Child Welfare, Public Healthcare and those in Education. It will also be of interest to postgraduates studying courses in Psychology, Neurology and Psychiatry.

Carlotta Zanaboni Dina is psychologist and psychotherapist of AIST (Italian Association for TS patients), and Trainer of two CBT Academies. She has been working at the Tourette Syndrome Centre, Milan, Italy, for 10 years. She previously conducted her studies at the Yale Child Study Center, US, with Professor Leckman, and also in London, UK, namely with Professor Robertson and Dr. Hedderly's team at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital. Mauro Porta, neurologist, is former Teaching Professor of the University of Milan, founder of AIST, and Director of the Extrapyramidal Diseases and Tourette Syndrome Centre at Galeazzi Clinical and Research Hospital, Milan, Italy. He worked at the Northwestern University of Chicago, USA, and got a Master Degree in Functional Neurosurgery. Named also as "Charcot's son", Mauro spent several years working at the Salpêtrière Hospital of Paris, birthplace of Tourette syndrome.

Table of Contents 1: A Short History of Tourette Syndrome 2: A Medical Overview of Tourette Syndrome 3: Diagnosing Tourette Syndrome 4: Therapy for Tourette Syndrome 5: The Role of Family 6: The Role of School 7: Friendships and Leisure Time 8: Tourette Syndrome and the Law 9: A Case Study of a Tourette Syndrome Sufferer: Giuseppe