A father living with Tourette syndrome has described the intense and often unseen challenges of raising a young child while managing severe involuntary tics.
Father with Tourette’s faces daily challenges raising his son
Luke Manton, who developed adult-onset Tourette syndrome in his mid-twenties, said his condition has affected every aspect of daily life, from social interactions to parenting routines, particularly since adopting his son, Fred with his partner George in late 2023.
Luke said his symptoms began suddenly after a seizure at the age of 26, with motor tics appearing first, followed months later by vocal tics. He now experiences involuntary movements of his arms, legs, head and torso, as well as grunts, sniffs and shouted words. He also has coprolalia, a rare form of Tourette’s that causes uncontrollable swearing.
In an interview with The Times, he said: “It hurts that he suffers because of something I can’t control. My Tourette’s.”
The condition led to the loss of his job and left him struggling with depression before he launched a virtual personal assistant business in 2020, which has since grown to employ nearly ten staff and operates from an office in Cheltenham.
Despite concerns that Tourette’s might hinder adoption, Luke said the condition was viewed positively by social workers assessing him and his husband.
He added: “Our social worker explained that they were looking for adopters who could instil kids with resilience and determination.”
The couple adopted Fred in December 2023, four days after his first birthday, following a process lasting just over two years.
Luke said parenting has intensified his symptoms, particularly during periods of stress or exhaustion. On severe days, he explained how his tics have prevented him from safely lifting his son, while bedtime routines have been especially difficult.
He added: “I’d spend ages getting him to sleep, tiptoe out of the room as quietly as I could, then I’d tic ‘Wake up b**ch’ so loudly that he’d instantly sit up again.
“Parenting is tiring whether you’ve got Tourette’s or not, and I wanted to do my share.”
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