Transcript Slide 1

Hen’s teeth .... Or not??
NEUROPSYCHIATRIC
CONDITIONS IN
CHILDHOOD
Dr Kirsty Yates
Community Paediatrics, GNCH
The problem: 5 year old boy
“His behaviour is terrible. He
makes these weird movements all
the time . He doesn’t seem to be
learning at school and they’re also
complaining about his behaviour!”
 What else do you want to know??
Behaviour
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Aggressive
Repetitive
Spits
Restless
On the go
Changes in
routine
• Yelps
• Awareness of
difference
Movements
• Since 3-4yr
• Daily
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Grimace
Blink
Flap hands
R arm stretches
Increase when
anxious
Education
• Not learning
• Kept back in
nursery
• Going to ARC
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Poor conc
Reasurrance
Seek cuddles
Copies
speech/phrases
What are your initial
thoughts??
a)I’m not worried – reassure mum
b)I would like some more information
Family
History
Past Medical
History
Social
History
Examination
Background
 Ex prem: Twin II 34+4 wk C/S
 Maternal methadone and diazepam
 SCBU – vomiting –ºNAS
 Physically healthy
 Seen for child protection medical 3y 1m. GDD – follow up
Development
Poor handwriting
Help dressing
Gross motor
Fine Motor &
vision
Hearing
Concerns
Communication
Cognitive
Delayed speech
Persisting echolalia
Needed SALT 1 yr
Delayed learning
History of soiling
Sleep difficulties
Play with others
Activity and
inattention
Family history
 Both parents drug users
 Hep B and C positive
 Dad Plummer court
 Chronic hepatitis and ?trophoblastic disease
 Maternal hx depression – inpatient.
 No history of movement disorder in family
Social History
 Limited support – mum previously a LAC
 Dad recently detained HMP
 CSC involved
 Financial difficulties
25
23
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5
5
13
Examination
 Normal
 Observation:
 Active, poor concentration, alert to noises in surroundings
 Tics: Vocal and motor
Screeching, grunting, blinking, grimacing, posturing
 Echolalia
 Pretend play - bus driver, plastic food
 Poor eye contact
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENTIAL
DIAGNOSIS?
Summary of Main symptoms
•Tics, restless, inattention, aggression, repetitive
behaviours, learning, speech, peer relationships
•Significant psychosocial difficulties
Differential at this point??
Tics
Rest
Inattn
Aggn
Rep
Educn Peers
Speech
 TS
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 ASD
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 ADHD
 LD
 Attachment disorder
 Environmental
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Biological
Predisposing
Precipitating
Perpetuating
Protective
Prematurity
Drugs in Utero
Developmental
delay
Learning difficulties
SAL delay
?other condition
Maternal health
problems
Psychological
Social
Temperament
Mat depression
Parents drug users
Separated
Financial difficulties
Separation from
mum
In LAC
Maternal absence
Understanding of
social relationships
Learning difficulties
SAL delay
Maternal health
problems
Attachment
Poor engagement
?Parenting
Lack social network
Physically healthy
Twin is “normal”
Relationship with
twin
Father/Mat GM
supportive
Multiple agencies
Attends school
Causes of wiggles and squiggles
Age of child
Personality disorder
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Disruptive Beh.
Anxiety
LD
Tics/TS
ADHD
PDD
Abuse/neglect
Age(4-7 years)
at assessment
Tics
 Sudden, rapid, repetitive, involuntary, stereotyped
purposeless movements
 Vocal or motor
 Simple or complex
 Common
 10% <10yrs age 25% all childhood
 All races and cultural groups
 4x more common boys
 Higher in special schools
Causes of TICS
 Idiopathic
 ASD/Aspergers
 Huntingtons disease
 Familial
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TS
 Wilsons disease
 Fragile X
 Hallervorden-Spatz
 Acquired
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Carbon monoxide poisoning
Drugs
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Trauma/Tumour
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Differential diagnosis of Repetitive
behaviours
 Chorea
 Stereotypies
 Choreoathetosis
 Compulsions
 Dystonia
 Perserveration
 Tremor
 SIB
 Myoclonus
Categories of Tic disorders
 DSM IV
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Transient tic disorder
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Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
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Combined motor and vocal tic disorder (Tourette)
What is Tourette Syndrome?
 Neuropsychiatric condition
 Gille de la Tourette - 1885
 Spectrum of severity
 1 in 100 childhood population
 Childhood onset
Diagnosis
 Multiple motor tics + one or more vocal tics at some point
 >1 year duration
 Periods of remission <2 months
 Tics change over time in location, frequency, type,
complexity & severity.
 <18yrs onset
 Not explainable by other medical conditions
Clinical Characteristics
 Mean age onset 7 yrs (2-18y)
 Tics
 Echophenomenon
 Coprolalia/ Copropraxia
 Paliphenomena
 Other stuff....
Tic Progression
Aetiology
 Precise location in brain unknown ?basal ganglia/frontal
cortex – dopamine transport, release & uptake
 Biological , genetic (concordance in twins)
 PANDAS
 Exacerbations by environmental factors
What does it feel like?
Difficulties and Misconceptions
 Coprolalia – RARE! 1-3/10
adults
 Suppressing tics/Hiding Tics
 Often improve when absorbed
in a task
 Co-morbidities may be the
presentation
What should you say?
1.
It’s not their fault,
2. Acceptance and understanding essential
3. Tics can change; Course can wax and wane
4. Tics be suppressed, but often payback
5. Exacerbations at times of stress, boredom, excitement and
illness
Tics and the “other stuff”
 Physical, educational, economical and social
consequences
 12% have tics only
 Often Tics not the main problems. Tics as a marker
Common Co-morbidites
TICS
Sleep
LD
ADHD
OCD
Famous people with Tourette Syndrome
Treatment
 Drug treatment available for Tics but often side
effects with sedation and weight gain, extrapyramidal side effects
 Should be started & monitored by specialist.
 Strategies:
 Ignoring the tics
 CBT – OCD element
 Behavioural analysis
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Competing response, relaxation, massed negative
 Future: ?DBS, ?Immunological therapies
Further Information
 Tourette syndrome association uk.
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
www.tourettes-action.org.uk
www.tsa.org
 Books

“Why do you do that? A Book about Tourette Syndrome for Children
and Young People” Uttom Chowdhury and Mary Robertson.

“Hi, I’m Adam: A Child’s Book about Tourette Syndrome” Adam
Buehrens

Tics and Tourette syndrome. A Handbook for Parents and
Professionals. Uttom Chowdhury
Take home messages
1.
Tics are common
2. Tourettes has a spectrum of severity and is more
common than we think
3. Tics as a symptom on their own do not necessarily
require treatment but parental education and
understanding paramount.
4. Tics/TS can be a marker for other neurobiological
conditions that have worse consequences
Questions?