{"h1":"Your child was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome — what to do first","faq":[{"a":"Tics naturally wax and wane and often change form. For many children they peak in the early school years and ease through adolescence. Tiredness, excitement and stress can temporarily increase them, while calm and rest often help.","q":"Will my child's tics get worse over time?"},{"a":"No — tics are involuntary, and telling a child to stop adds distress without helping. A calm, accepting environment where tics are simply allowed to happen is far more supportive.","q":"Should I tell my child to stop the tics?"},{"a":"Often, yes. Many children also experience anxiety, attention difficulties or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and these frequently affect daily life more than the tics themselves — so it helps to share these observations with your child's doctor.","q":"Does Tourette Syndrome come with other difficulties?"},{"a":"It is managed by a paediatrician, paediatric neurologist or child psychiatrist. Behavioural approaches such as habit-reversal therapy, and medication where needed, are decided by that medical team. Therapy can support overlapping everyday challenges alongside this care.","q":"Who manages Tourette Syndrome?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-tourette-syndrome-what-should-i-do-first","title":"What To Do First After a Tourette Syndrome Diagnosis","entity":{"key":"tourette","kind":"condition","name":"Tourette Syndrome","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Adaptive","value":"adaptive"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Plan","value":"plan"},{"kind":"route","label":"Special-Education","value":"special-education"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Family Empowerment","value":"family_empowerment"}],"parent":{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-tourette-syndrome-medically-managed-in-a-child","title":"How Is Tourette Syndrome Medically Managed in a Child?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-is-the-best-way-to-parent-and-guide-a-child-with-tourette-syndrome","title":"What is the best way to parent and guide a child with Tourette Syndrome?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-tourette-syndrome-supported-through-therapy","title":"How Tourette Syndrome Is Supported Through Therapy"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-treatment-and-therapy-options-for-tourette-syndrome","title":"What are the treatment and therapy options for Tourette Syndrome?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-tourette-syndrome-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How Tourette Syndrome Affects a Child's Daily Life"},{"lang":"en","slug":"where-should-i-start-to-get-help-for-a-child-with-tourette-syndrome","title":"Where to start getting help for a child with Tourette Syndrome"}],"summary":"After a Tourette Syndrome diagnosis, stay calm, learn that tics are involuntary, reduce pressure and attention around them, watch for accompanying anxiety or attention difficulties, and follow up with the diagnosing paediatrician, neurologist or child psychiatrist who manages this medical condition. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","answer_md":"*A diagnosis can feel like the ground shifting — but Tourette Syndrome is a well-understood condition, and the calm, informed steps you take now matter more than any single tic.*\n\n## In short\nFirst, breathe — a Tourette Syndrome diagnosis is not an emergency, and most children live full, capable lives. Your first steps are simple: **learn what tics actually are** (involuntary, not deliberate), **reduce pressure and attention around the tics**, and **note whether anything else is going on** — such as anxiety, ADHD-type difficulties or obsessive habits, which often travel alongside tics. Then arrange follow-up with the clinician who made the diagnosis so you understand your child's specific picture and plan.\n\n## Your first practical steps\n- **Understand the basics.** Tics are sudden, repeated movements or sounds a child cannot fully control. They typically wax and wane, change over time, and often ease through the teenage years. Telling a child to \"just stop\" doesn't work and adds distress.\n- **Don't make the tics the centre of attention.** Reacting, correcting or constantly watching tends to increase a child's self-consciousness. A calm, accepting home where tics are simply allowed to happen helps most.\n- **Look at the whole child.** Many children with Tourette's also experience anxiety, attention difficulties, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies — and these often affect daily life *more* than the tics themselves. Note what you observe so the clinician can address it.\n- **Inform school sensitively.** A short, factual conversation with teachers — that tics are involuntary, not misbehaviour — protects your child from being told off or teased, and allows small accommodations during stressful tasks.\n- **Track patterns.** Notice what tends to increase tics (tiredness, excitement, stress) and what eases them. This is genuinely useful information for the care team.\n\n## When to seek prompt medical review\nTourette Syndrome is managed under a **paediatrician, paediatric neurologist or child psychiatrist** — this is a medical condition, not therapy-first. Return promptly to that clinician if tics are painful, suddenly much worse, interfering badly with sleep, eating, learning or self-esteem, or if your child shows low mood or strong anxiety. Behavioural therapy (such as habit-reversal approaches) and, where needed, medication are decided by that medical team.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nAbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. Where Tourette's overlaps with attention, anxiety, learning or daily-living challenges, our therapists can support the *whole child* alongside your medical team. Begin with a [developmental profile](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), explore [behaviour and adaptive support](/behaviour-therapy), and see how a [tailored plan](/) is built around your child's strengths.\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 (Tourette syndrome under tic disorders); American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) guidance on tic disorders; NICE guidance on supporting children with neurodevelopmental and tic conditions.\n\n**Next step —** Want support for the everyday challenges that travel alongside tics? [Book an assessment with a Pinnacle clinician](/behaviour-therapy) while continuing care with your child's doctor.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-tourette-syndrome-what-should-i-do-first","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-tourette-syndrome-what-should-i-do-first","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-tourette-syndrome-what-should-i-do-first-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"}],"meta_title":"Tourette Syndrome Diagnosed: What To Do First","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Keep your home calm and accepting — let tics happen without comment, correction or constant watching, as added attention and pressure tend to make a child more self-conscious and increase tics.","published_at":"2026-06-10T12:56:00.519845+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-tourette-syndrome-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How Tourette Syndrome Affects a Child's Daily Life","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-tourette-syndrome-considered-a-disability","title":"Is Tourette Syndrome Considered a Disability?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-tourette-syndrome-genetic-or-hereditary","title":"Is Tourette Syndrome Genetic or Hereditary?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-common-myths-about-tourette-syndrome","title":"What are common myths about Tourette Syndrome?","reason":"Same 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life","total":1}],"what_to_watch":"Watch for tics that are painful or suddenly much worse, that disrupt sleep, eating or learning, or that harm self-esteem — and for accompanying anxiety, low mood, attention difficulties or obsessive habits, which often affect daily life more than the tics themselves.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://icd.who.int","label":"WHO ICD-11 — tic disorders including Tourette syndrome"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"American Academy of Pediatrics — tic disorders guidance"},{"url":"https://www.nice.org.uk","label":"NICE — supporting children with tic and neurodevelopmental conditions"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T12:56:00.519845+00:00","meta_description":"A calm, practical first-steps guide for parents after a Tourette Syndrome diagnosis — understanding tics, reducing pressure, and when to see the doctor.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}