Impulse Control, Aggression and Anger Outbursts in Tourette Syndrome

Impulse Control, Aggression and Anger Outbursts in Tourette Syndrome, taken from the DVD, "Hot Topics in Evaluation, Treatment and Management of Tourette Syndrome and CO-occurring Conditions"; available through the Tourette Association.
John Walkup, M.D., Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist @ Johns Hopkins Hospital, TSA/MAB Chairman
Samuel Zinner, M.D., Pediatrician @ University of Washington School of Medicine
Tanya Murphy, M.D., Ph.D., Child Psychiatrist @ the University of Florida
Lawrence Scahill, MSN, Ph.D., Nurse Practitioner of Child Psychiatry
Jorge Juncos, M.D., Neurologist @ Emory University School of Medicine
Cathy Budman, M.D., Adult Psychiatrist @ North Shore University Hospital LIJ Health System
Discuss Impulse Control, Aggression and Anger Outbursts in Tourette Syndrome

[@meganjudd639]

My sons rage is different. It is tic like. His eyes roll the entire time and once the episode is over, if he remembers the event, he's remorseful. Sometimes he doesn't remember parts or all of it. A switch flips on and then off. While I do agree that there are triggers, I don't believe it is behaviorally driven. I'm not saying behavioral treatments would be ineffective, I'm just saying, he can't control it.

[@evebodeux]

I agree with the comment below that it is not behaviorally driven, but I do think that there are ways to control it (or, I am hopeful that is the case). I think the video is interesting and helpful, but one thing that upset me was that, according to one of the moderator's comments, for years, the medical community felt it was the parenting. Anyone who would have ever thought that has not seen or truly experienced the rage we are talking about and that was depressing to me that parents for generations have been subjected to this disbelief that it is not their fault. I have a thick skin, so that does not "hurt my feelings" as a parent, but, these types of comments are not helpful, when parents are asking for help. They are not helpful in solving the ACTUAL problem and just clouds the issue. Parenting is not the cause--though perhaps it can mitigate the behavior--it is definitely not the cause, and to get real help in solving the actual issue, that needs to be clearly recognized by health care providers.