There aren’t many places where a 12-year-old kid can bark or twitch in public without getting serious flak from her peers. But children with the neurological disorder Tourette syndrome–commonly misunderstood as a cursing problem–can’t control all the noises and tics that they make.

So a new weeklong summer camp lets kids with Tourette enjoy all the usual camp activities–swimming, art, sports–without having to explain themselves or worry about being ridiculed for their tics or noises. Since only three in about every thousand children are born with Tourette syndrome, many campers at Twist and Shout have never met another child with the disorder before.

35-year-old founder Brad Cohen remembers all too well getting teased or punished for his uncontrollable squealing. Ever since a kind principal asked him if he wanted to explain what Tourette syndrome is to his school, Cohen has been dedicated to educating people about the disorder. In addition to directing Camp Twist and Shout, Cohen is an elementary-school teacher and the author of a book on Tourette syndrome.

Since Cohen still has a barking tic, he is a living example to his students and campers of the fact that Tourette syndrome need not disrupt your life. And spending a week around kids all dealing with the same issue helps to normalize the disorder in some kids’ minds. According to a teenaged camper named Kevin, the kids quickly become immune to the noises and tics around them. “It’s just kind of like you’re listening to music, and you hear something in the background and you don’t really hear it,” he said.

In fact, a guiding principle of Camp Twist and Shout is that for once kids don’t have to talk about their disorder; they just get to enjoy themselves. According to Cohen, “This is not therapy; this is not school.”

Photo: karenimages.com, via CNN

Tweet

4

Pin It

Tourette Syndrome (often referred to as “Tourette’s Syndrome”, which I’ve been told is incorrect) is one of those disorders that is easy to make fun of. It’s hilarious to hear someone scream out four-letter words at random, right?

In reality, it’s not much fun, of course. And 3 out of every 1,000 kids have it, according to a new report from the Yale University School of Medicine. Continue reading »

Tweet

5

Pin It