Pay attention to parental stress from ADHD in Tourette syndrome

Abstract

Attention is fundamental to learning and memory formation. Impaired attention limits school success. Thus, as pediatricians we are accustomed to screening for childhood attention problems and intervening when indicated with behavioral interventions or medications. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in children. Children with Tourette syndrome are predisposed to ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in addition to their unwanted motor and vocal tics. Which among these symptoms causes the most stress to parents whose children have Tourette syndrome? In this issue of The Journal, Stewart et al present a cross-sectional study of parents to 74 children diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and 48 unaffected controls. While the parents of children with Tourette syndrome had more stress overall, their stress was not related to tic severity. Indeed, stress was significantly associated with ADHD symptoms in both Tourette syndrome, as well as typically developing children. Furthermore, ADHD plus OCD was responsible for more parental stress than tics in the Tourette syndrome group. Parents and pediatricians should pay attention to these findings. In children with and without Tourette syndrome, ADHD is a striking source of parental stress. ADHD is sometimes more important to manage than tics in Tourette syndrome. Treating just tics in Tourette syndrome often is not the answer to decreasing family stress and helping the child succeed. Article page 1297▶ Clinical Correlates of Parenting Stress in Children with Tourette Syndrome and in Typically Developing ChildrenThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 166Issue 5PreviewTo determine the impact of tic severity in children with Tourette syndrome on parenting stress and the impact of comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptomatology on parenting stress in both children with Tourette syndrome and typically developing children. Full-Text PDF