Self-training may help

July 22, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

Children and teens with Tourette syndrome found help for their tics via sessions of self-hypnosis, according to a new study published online recently in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.

The study included 33 participants ages 6 to 19 who had tic disorders.

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that can cause involuntary tics such as coughing, yelling, head jerking and blinking.

It’s typically treated with medication, which can have mild to severe side effects such as anxiety, weight gain and sluggishness, but new non-drug treatments are showing promise.

Each of the participants took part in self-hypnosis sessions that included watching a video of a boy going through self-hypnosis training and relaxation techniques. Then the child was given some relaxation techniques and instructed to focus on feelings that occurred right before the tic happened, and visualize getting rid of the tic. Study subjects were asked to repeat the exercise at least three times a day as well as keep a calendar of their tic activity.

The study included no control group.

Among the participants, 12 reported a dramatic response in tic control after two visits (plus video training), 13 had those results after three visits, and one after four visits.

During the 21/2 months of the study, 79 percent of the participants said their tic control had improved enough that they were satisfied with the technique.

Seven children did not respond to the treatment, four said they felt unmotivated to control their tics, and three were referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist for a more rigorous intervention.

Some similarities exist between self-hypnosis and habit-reversal training techniques to reduce tics.

Habit-reversal training teaches people to become more aware of the urge to tic, then has them engage in a behavior that competes with the tic, such as rhythmic breathing.

In a study published last May in the Journal of the American Medical Association, habit-reversal training significantly improved ticking in 53 percent of children, compared with 19 percent of children in a control group who received support therapy and education.