The zealous pursuit of the vision is through PTSA’s allegiance to continuously:
•Muster small and large sectors of support for the PWTS;
•Foster the PWTS in all aspects of their development to become not only functional individuals but also functional individuals in society
•Carry out seminars and workshops on updated information on Tourette Syndrome especially program development and treatment/ management of the disorder from different disciplines (medicine, education, counseling, psychology) including teaching strategies and parenting
•Bridge the gap of different disciplines (medicine, education, counseling and psychology) in order to develop and administer more appropriate and relevant programs specifically designed for PWTS
•Promote research on Tourette Syndrome in the Philippines from all disciplines (medicine, education, counseling and psychology)
4/14/2008
PHILIPPINE TOURETTE SYNDROME ASSOCIATION: Our Vision
PTSA shall always be a leader in advocating the PWTS, their families and significant others to fully understand Tourette Syndrome as a disorder and be able to give them opportunities and help them achieve their optimum development to function not only as individuals but individuals in the society.
PHILIPPINE TOURETTE SYNDROME ASSOCIATION: What is PTSA?
The Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association (PTSA) is the first and only non-profit, non- stock organization about Tourette Syndrome based in the Philippines. It is an association of (1) professionals from the field of medicine, counseling, education and psychology and (2) lay persons particularly the individuals diagnosed with the disorder, their parents, relatives and significant others.
Originally organized in February 16, 2007 as a “Tourette Syndrome Core Group” and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April, 2008 as Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association (PTSA). The organization was made because of a common goal to address the specific needs of the” Persons with Tourette Syndrome “ (PWTS) and be able to help them recognize their inherent capabilities in coping with the disorder better and develop their full potentials to become successful individuals in their own little way.
PTSA recognizes the significance of nurturing this special group as part of the Philippine’s society noting that many Filipinos are unaware of the existence of the disorder in the country. Furthermore, misconceptions about the disorder are a frequent occurrence. With PTSA’s efforts to disseminate information about the disorder will enable replacement of those misconceptions with reliable facts from the most recent literature on Tourette Syndrome not only from the Philippines but from resources all over the world.
PTSA as an organization is powered by its human workforce of professional experts with a wide array of experiences in various disciplines that are needed to suit the needs of the PWTS. This workforce makes the organization dynamic as it is multi-faceted in nature.
Originally organized in February 16, 2007 as a “Tourette Syndrome Core Group” and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April, 2008 as Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association (PTSA). The organization was made because of a common goal to address the specific needs of the” Persons with Tourette Syndrome “ (PWTS) and be able to help them recognize their inherent capabilities in coping with the disorder better and develop their full potentials to become successful individuals in their own little way.
PTSA recognizes the significance of nurturing this special group as part of the Philippine’s society noting that many Filipinos are unaware of the existence of the disorder in the country. Furthermore, misconceptions about the disorder are a frequent occurrence. With PTSA’s efforts to disseminate information about the disorder will enable replacement of those misconceptions with reliable facts from the most recent literature on Tourette Syndrome not only from the Philippines but from resources all over the world.
PTSA as an organization is powered by its human workforce of professional experts with a wide array of experiences in various disciplines that are needed to suit the needs of the PWTS. This workforce makes the organization dynamic as it is multi-faceted in nature.
3/19/2008
Group Dynamics as Intervention for Filipinos Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome
This research had been presented in the 1st Philippine Graduate Conference in Education at the UP College of Education last March 07, 2009.
ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH
Unusual blinking of the eye, peculiar hand movements, sound repetitions, word echoing are just some of the symptoms associated with Tourette Syndrome (TS). With different manifestations, people who are diagnosed with the disorder are often ridiculed simply because the public’s lack of knowledge regarding the disorder.
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by neurological tics which are often physical and verbal. The attacks are even so transient that after the occurrence of a tic or tics, the person can go back to his or her usual business. Symptoms of Tourette's are tics like sniffing, coughing, humming, whistling, throat clearing, shoulder shrugging, eye blinking, and neck stretching. The onset of the disorder usually begins in childhood at age between 7- 10. The occurrence of symptoms usually begins on the face called facial tics and if the symptoms worsen may progress down to the lower body. Symptoms usually intensify during teenage years and diminish in late adolescence or early adulthood. Patients may also develop co-occurring behavioral disorders, namely obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD), poor impulse control, and/or sleep disorders.
The study is a quasi- experimental research with the use of a one-group-pretest- posttest design. With the use of group counseling as an aspect of group dynamics, this paper specifically explored the underlying issues, problems or concerns of a person with Tourette Syndrome to help the person cope with the disorder. Consequently, this paper also intended to document the possible beneficial effects of group counseling for the medical clientele.
This study involved five Filipino male respondents suffering from Tourette Syndrome, all in the prime of their lives, age ranging from 19 to 28. One of them has a co-morbid disorder and one was medicating at the time of the study. Two of the respondents have severe form of the disorder exhibiting behavior such as coughing, itching, head jerking, barking, kicking, arm folding, knee bumping, teeth sucking and eye poking. All five suffer from the Tourette Syndrome’s physiological symptom (tic), behavioral (loss of self-esteem, irritability, aggression and lack of concentration) and psychosocial (inability to interact, anxiety, depression, social stigma and social isolation).
Different counseling needs of the five respondents were discovered such as health concerns, anxiety for not finishing their studies, wariness about their future employment, inability to perform household and social responsibilities and concern over non-acceptance by peers. Specific counseling needs akin to an individual were also identified.
The five respondents underwent a series of group counseling sessions. A comparison of their pre- and post-test average scores on the Tourette Syndrome Symptom Assessment Scale (TSSAS) revealed a significant decrease of the symptoms after the group counseling sessions, except for the physiological (tics), which remained constant even after the group counseling. Highest percentage decrease was registered on depression (-40%), social isolation (-35.48%), aggression (-31.03%), irritability (-30.55%) and anxiety (-27.77%). The lowest percentage decrease even after the group counseling was on self-esteem (-10.71%) and interaction (-16.36%), probably indicating that the respondents’ self-esteem was so low as a result of the Tourette Syndrome. The significant effect, however, of group counseling as manifested in the percentage decrease of the symptoms after the intervention reveals that group counseling as an intervention among individuals suffering from the disorder really works.
T-test analysis revealed that there is no significant difference between physiological and psychosocial symptoms of Tourette Syndrome and group counseling. However, this study found a significant difference between behavioral symptoms and Group Counseling.This study validates the finding of earlier studies that group counseling is an effective intervention strategy in order to alleviate the condition of individuals suffering from Tourette syndrome. This study may spark other studies on Tourette syndrome aimed at creating a knowledge base for better understanding of the disorder. This may prove beneficial not only to individuals with Tourette syndrome and their families but also to medical doctors, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, educators, and counselors who have been caregivers of individuals with Tourette syndrome.
In a general sense, group counseling may be regarded as an effective intervention strategy for individuals diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. The bottom line is the understanding that society has on individuals with Tourette syndrome. It is important for medical doctors, psychologists and guidance counselors to make an advocacy for the general society to understand the situation of these individuals. Understanding each one of them heightens the understanding of using group counseling as an effective intervention for individuals diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.
This researcher suggests peer education programs to be spearheaded by counselors in different settings as these kinds of programs may prevent occurrence of bullying and teasing which are very common among individuals with Tourette syndrome.
In addition, it is suggested that further research in industrial setting be conducted aimed at assisting industrial counselors explore the issues underlying the disorder and how these factors affect individuals with the syndrome in the work place and their relationships with co-workers in order to improve working skills and relationships.
Finally, this research suggests the possibility to include the study of Tourette Syndrome and other special groups in the discipline of Counselor Education aimed at widening and enriching the perspective of the discipline, which may bridge counselor education with other disciplines such as Psychology and Medicine and other medical allied professions.
---------------------------
AUTHOR: Maria Rowena Balmores- Victorino, M.Ed.,RN, CRNC
ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH
Unusual blinking of the eye, peculiar hand movements, sound repetitions, word echoing are just some of the symptoms associated with Tourette Syndrome (TS). With different manifestations, people who are diagnosed with the disorder are often ridiculed simply because the public’s lack of knowledge regarding the disorder.
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by neurological tics which are often physical and verbal. The attacks are even so transient that after the occurrence of a tic or tics, the person can go back to his or her usual business. Symptoms of Tourette's are tics like sniffing, coughing, humming, whistling, throat clearing, shoulder shrugging, eye blinking, and neck stretching. The onset of the disorder usually begins in childhood at age between 7- 10. The occurrence of symptoms usually begins on the face called facial tics and if the symptoms worsen may progress down to the lower body. Symptoms usually intensify during teenage years and diminish in late adolescence or early adulthood. Patients may also develop co-occurring behavioral disorders, namely obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD), poor impulse control, and/or sleep disorders.
The study is a quasi- experimental research with the use of a one-group-pretest- posttest design. With the use of group counseling as an aspect of group dynamics, this paper specifically explored the underlying issues, problems or concerns of a person with Tourette Syndrome to help the person cope with the disorder. Consequently, this paper also intended to document the possible beneficial effects of group counseling for the medical clientele.
This study involved five Filipino male respondents suffering from Tourette Syndrome, all in the prime of their lives, age ranging from 19 to 28. One of them has a co-morbid disorder and one was medicating at the time of the study. Two of the respondents have severe form of the disorder exhibiting behavior such as coughing, itching, head jerking, barking, kicking, arm folding, knee bumping, teeth sucking and eye poking. All five suffer from the Tourette Syndrome’s physiological symptom (tic), behavioral (loss of self-esteem, irritability, aggression and lack of concentration) and psychosocial (inability to interact, anxiety, depression, social stigma and social isolation).
Different counseling needs of the five respondents were discovered such as health concerns, anxiety for not finishing their studies, wariness about their future employment, inability to perform household and social responsibilities and concern over non-acceptance by peers. Specific counseling needs akin to an individual were also identified.
The five respondents underwent a series of group counseling sessions. A comparison of their pre- and post-test average scores on the Tourette Syndrome Symptom Assessment Scale (TSSAS) revealed a significant decrease of the symptoms after the group counseling sessions, except for the physiological (tics), which remained constant even after the group counseling. Highest percentage decrease was registered on depression (-40%), social isolation (-35.48%), aggression (-31.03%), irritability (-30.55%) and anxiety (-27.77%). The lowest percentage decrease even after the group counseling was on self-esteem (-10.71%) and interaction (-16.36%), probably indicating that the respondents’ self-esteem was so low as a result of the Tourette Syndrome. The significant effect, however, of group counseling as manifested in the percentage decrease of the symptoms after the intervention reveals that group counseling as an intervention among individuals suffering from the disorder really works.
T-test analysis revealed that there is no significant difference between physiological and psychosocial symptoms of Tourette Syndrome and group counseling. However, this study found a significant difference between behavioral symptoms and Group Counseling.This study validates the finding of earlier studies that group counseling is an effective intervention strategy in order to alleviate the condition of individuals suffering from Tourette syndrome. This study may spark other studies on Tourette syndrome aimed at creating a knowledge base for better understanding of the disorder. This may prove beneficial not only to individuals with Tourette syndrome and their families but also to medical doctors, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, educators, and counselors who have been caregivers of individuals with Tourette syndrome.
In a general sense, group counseling may be regarded as an effective intervention strategy for individuals diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. The bottom line is the understanding that society has on individuals with Tourette syndrome. It is important for medical doctors, psychologists and guidance counselors to make an advocacy for the general society to understand the situation of these individuals. Understanding each one of them heightens the understanding of using group counseling as an effective intervention for individuals diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.
This researcher suggests peer education programs to be spearheaded by counselors in different settings as these kinds of programs may prevent occurrence of bullying and teasing which are very common among individuals with Tourette syndrome.
In addition, it is suggested that further research in industrial setting be conducted aimed at assisting industrial counselors explore the issues underlying the disorder and how these factors affect individuals with the syndrome in the work place and their relationships with co-workers in order to improve working skills and relationships.
Finally, this research suggests the possibility to include the study of Tourette Syndrome and other special groups in the discipline of Counselor Education aimed at widening and enriching the perspective of the discipline, which may bridge counselor education with other disciplines such as Psychology and Medicine and other medical allied professions.
---------------------------
AUTHOR: Maria Rowena Balmores- Victorino, M.Ed.,RN, CRNC
2/15/2008
Neurofeedback and Tourette Syndrome
Understanding Brainwaves: The origin of all our emotions, thoughts and behaviors are the complex networks of communication among billions of neurons in our brains. The communication brought up by the patterns produced by these neurons, manifested by rhythm or pulse, is measured by what we call BRAINWAVES. Brainwaves are tiny pulses of electricity produced whenever one neuron communicates with the other. It actually results from what you are doing from moment to moment. The slowest brain waves are the delta waves, we experience this during sleep. Beta3, on the hand, is for our highest levels of concentration. Neurofeedback’s goal is to teach you to recognize and use your calm (SMR) waves and your thinker (BETA) waves. By using the computer monitor to watch your brain wave activity you can train yourself to stay out of the Theta and Alpha levels. This means that a single defect in the patterns of communication within the brain causes problems considerably. This happens when, say for example, you feel very anxious and you feel that their are reactions which occurs in your body such as stomach ache, nausea, headache and others, your brain has elicit within itself a pattern resulting in these symptoms. And these patterns can result from very diverse possible stressors. In an individual with Tourette syndrome, it has been reiterated in the other articles on this site that the brain electrical activity is defective; Dr. Mink even described it to be somewhat “buggy”.
BAND HERTZ MS
Delta 0.0-4.0 1000
Theta 4.0-8.0 1000
Alpha 8.0-13.0 500
SMR 13.0-15.0 500
Beta 15.0-18.0 250
Beta2 18.0-24.0 125
Beta3 24.0-32.0 125
How Neurofeedback Works: If the brain is not functioning at its finest, our body manifests a variety of physical or mental problems. Furthermore, cognitive, behavioral, psychological and other bodily issues can also be traced back from a poorly functioning brain. What neurofeedback does is that it trains the brain to improve its function, much like when you exercise to maintain fitness. It is a technique to train the brain to normalize functions of the body and mind.
One of the technique’s strong points is that it obtains upon the brain’s ability to learn and adapt. It actually deals with the problems at its core, it is non-invasive and the effects are lasting and permanent.
Since the therapy teaches the brain to operate effectively, the treatment is not only limited to recovering injury or coping with problems but helping the brain to get back on track so we can perform our daily activities. In fact, it can also be useful to facilitate peak performance like for example activities of an athlete or somebody who holds a corporate executive position.
The Procedure: Like all other therapies, it begins with an intake interview to know more about the condition of the person, the existing symptoms, the onset, the background etc. An EEG (electroencephalogram) is used to record all abnormalities produced in the pattern of brain waves. The waves will be used to identify certain frequency bands as areas for improvement. This will then be appraised as to what degree the symptoms may be resolved using neurofeedback therapy.
It is very important for you to know that the procedure is completely painless. There will just be EEG sensors attached to the scalp. These sensors are attached to an amplifier and a computer monitor to process the signal and provide appropriate feedback. It is also very important for you to know that the sensors do not do anything to your scalp or your brain for that matter, these are “read-only” sensors that permits transfer of the signals made by your brain to the computer just so feedback can happen. The training which occurs during the procedure can be in a form of a game, a video, auditory signals, or a combination of these modes. When the brain frequency show the normal brain pattern the person is rewarded by receiving points in the game or receiving auditory cues. Consequently, when the brain produced undesirable brain patterns, the person will have no points in the game or no auditory cues. What happens is that the brain learns to produce new and healthy patterns and eventually adapts and uses the desirable pattern.
The therapy has no known side effects. Depending on your choice, this kind of therapy is often coupled with medications and other therapies of your choice. Neurofeedback therapy usually lasts for about 40 minutes to 1 hour. The number of session depends from individual to individual and depends on the severity of the problem, but 40 sessions is the general guidelines. You can already see a considerable improvement within 15 sessions.
-------------------------------------------
This article was written for the purpose of education and not to endorse a particular therapy regimen.
BAND HERTZ MS
Delta 0.0-4.0 1000
Theta 4.0-8.0 1000
Alpha 8.0-13.0 500
SMR 13.0-15.0 500
Beta 15.0-18.0 250
Beta2 18.0-24.0 125
Beta3 24.0-32.0 125
How Neurofeedback Works: If the brain is not functioning at its finest, our body manifests a variety of physical or mental problems. Furthermore, cognitive, behavioral, psychological and other bodily issues can also be traced back from a poorly functioning brain. What neurofeedback does is that it trains the brain to improve its function, much like when you exercise to maintain fitness. It is a technique to train the brain to normalize functions of the body and mind.
One of the technique’s strong points is that it obtains upon the brain’s ability to learn and adapt. It actually deals with the problems at its core, it is non-invasive and the effects are lasting and permanent.
Since the therapy teaches the brain to operate effectively, the treatment is not only limited to recovering injury or coping with problems but helping the brain to get back on track so we can perform our daily activities. In fact, it can also be useful to facilitate peak performance like for example activities of an athlete or somebody who holds a corporate executive position.
The Procedure: Like all other therapies, it begins with an intake interview to know more about the condition of the person, the existing symptoms, the onset, the background etc. An EEG (electroencephalogram) is used to record all abnormalities produced in the pattern of brain waves. The waves will be used to identify certain frequency bands as areas for improvement. This will then be appraised as to what degree the symptoms may be resolved using neurofeedback therapy.
It is very important for you to know that the procedure is completely painless. There will just be EEG sensors attached to the scalp. These sensors are attached to an amplifier and a computer monitor to process the signal and provide appropriate feedback. It is also very important for you to know that the sensors do not do anything to your scalp or your brain for that matter, these are “read-only” sensors that permits transfer of the signals made by your brain to the computer just so feedback can happen. The training which occurs during the procedure can be in a form of a game, a video, auditory signals, or a combination of these modes. When the brain frequency show the normal brain pattern the person is rewarded by receiving points in the game or receiving auditory cues. Consequently, when the brain produced undesirable brain patterns, the person will have no points in the game or no auditory cues. What happens is that the brain learns to produce new and healthy patterns and eventually adapts and uses the desirable pattern.
The therapy has no known side effects. Depending on your choice, this kind of therapy is often coupled with medications and other therapies of your choice. Neurofeedback therapy usually lasts for about 40 minutes to 1 hour. The number of session depends from individual to individual and depends on the severity of the problem, but 40 sessions is the general guidelines. You can already see a considerable improvement within 15 sessions.
-------------------------------------------
This article was written for the purpose of education and not to endorse a particular therapy regimen.
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