Our son Evan was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome when he was 6 1/2. Recently we learned about a study being done at UCLA to compare the efficacy of two different behavioral interventions for tic disorders. Evan will go and meet with a psychiatrist every week for 10 weeks in either a Psychoeducation/Supportive therapy session, the traditional method of treatment, or a Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) session, the method being tested. He will be randomly assigned to a group by a computer.
When we talked with Evan about participating in the study, he was very excited. He also realized that even if the therapy doesn't help him, it will help researchers understand Tourette's Syndrome better, which will help others with the disorder.
Evan went last week for and initial assessment which lasted 5 1/2 hours! This week he'll have another assessment done, and then his first therapy. We are hoping that he will be able to learn some techniques that will help him control his tics, and that the education and support from psychiatrists specializing in this area will help our whole family. In case you were wondering, there is no medication involved in the study.
Please pray for Evan and Sean. It is a long drive to LA and back each week. They are looking forward to some good bonding time together. We are also thinking of taking the whole family along one or more weekends for trips to Disneyland or Sea World.
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