Mum says having Tourettes has made her a better parent

A mother who suffers from Tourette's says the condition has made her a better mother.

Colleen Montez, 30, was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome in 2021, when her son Gavin was just seven and her daughter Gracie two.

Colleen doesn't have verbal tics but manages motor tics which affect her face, neck, shoulders, elbows and legs on a daily basis.

Despite the challenges, Colleen says that her experience has meant that she has better insight into what her children need, especially Gavin, who is neurodivergent.

Colleen, a teacher from Georgetown, Texas, said: "Ultimately, I know it has made me a better mother.

"It’s also helped me understand my children and their neurodivergence more.

"I grew up neurodivergent but my parents weren’t educated or had knowledge in that area, so being able to help them and provide resources has made me a better mum."

Colleen has had tics since she was eight years old but wasn't diagnosed until the age of 27.

Colleen's tics ramped up significantly at the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

As the US went into lockdown, she began teaching from home as well as homeschooling her own children.

The combination of both meant Colleen's tics became more frequent and prominent with a higher likelihood of "tic attacks," which eventually led to her diagnosis.

At the time, Colleen worried that her children may get confused and copy her more aggressive tics, which can involve hurting herself.

She said: "I have worried about my children copying my stronger tics like hitting my chest or the car window.

"It's challenging to try and explain to them what 'involuntary' means and that it's not a choice.

"We were able to overcome these issues by relating their ADHD impulses to my ticking in how the impulses are a choice, although hard to control, whilst the tics are not a choice."

Gavin, 10, was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD two years ago, which means he doesn't like loud noises, interruptions or to be touched often.

Colleen says her Tourette's diagnosis helped her understand Gavin's internal struggles and that she could more easily explain her tics to him.

Colleen's children have each dealt with the tics in different ways.

Whilst Gavin is now able to understand, Gracie, who's only five, finds her mum's tics funny.

Colleen said: "It's different for Gavin than it is for Gracie because he can remember a time where my ticking wasn't this extreme.

"It took him about one to two years to get used to the increased amount of tics, but he gets it now.

"Gracie, on the other hand, mainly just finds it funny.

"I don't get upset with her when she's laughing at me because she's still too young to understand it completely."