Floyd Pediatric Therapy & Intervention for Tic Disorders

04/24/2026

Signs of proprioceptive difficulties in a child

👉 frequently bumps into objects, trips
👉 appears clumsy, poor coordination

👉 difficulty grading force (too hard / too soft)
👉 presses, pushes or hits too hard

👉 seeks strong input (jumping, running, crashing)
👉 enjoys “heavy work” (pushing, pulling, carrying)

👉 poor body awareness (doesn’t know where the body is in space)
👉 difficulties with posture and body positioning

👉 leans on hands or slumps when sitting
👉 gets tired quickly during activities

👉 difficulty with fine motor tasks (writing, fastening, drawing)
👉 problems with motor planning

👉 seeks oral input (chewing, biting)
👉 difficulty with focus and attention

Important:

This is not just “clumsiness” or personality.
It’s how the nervous system processes body input.

My name is Anna Olawa.
I am a physiotherapist, a diagnostician, and
a sensory integration therapist.
I have been a physiotherapist for 24 years.
I have completed over 57 courses and trainings.
I am recommended by families from across Scotland and England.

⸻

Paediatric physiotherapy • sensory integration therapy • child development • core strength • balance training • motor skills • proprioception • vestibular system • posture correction • kids physio • developmental therapy • movement therapy

04/21/2026

03/14/2026

Have you registered for TIC-CON26? Let us know in the comments below!

🎟️ If you haven't registered yet, grab your tickets at touretteconference.org
📍 Nashville, TN
📆 June 12-14

Attend the world's largest conference focused on and other ! This transformative event is designed for individuals and families impacted by TS and other Tic Disorders, as well as the medical providers, researchers, and caregivers who support them. You’ll gain new skills, explore the latest research and treatment options, and build friendships and professional relationships that last a lifetime!

Early Bird registration is available now and space is limited! Lock in our lowest rate on tickets and hotel rooms ASAP.

03/08/2026

✨Exams & Tourette’s ✨

💥Understanding Makes All the Difference💥

Exam season brings pressure for every student but for a young person living with Tourette’s Syndrome, that pressure can have a much greater impact than many people realise.

Tourette’s is a neurological condition that causes involuntary movements and sounds called tics. Tics naturally increase with stress, anxiety, fatigue and heightened emotion. Because of this, exam environments which are often silent, structured and high pressure can unintentionally intensify symptoms.

Imagine trying to focus on an exam paper while:

• Your body is moving in ways you can’t control
• You’re experiencing painful or repetitive motor tics
• Your hand or arm tics are affecting your writing
• You’re trying to manage vocal tics in a quiet room
• You’re worried about distracting others
• You’re using huge amounts of energy just to suppress

Many students try to hold their tics in during exams so they don’t stand out. But suppressing tics is exhausting. It builds internal pressure and often leads to stronger tics or severe tic attacks once the exam is over.

While they are trying to suppress their tics, their concentration is not fully on the exam paper. A huge part of their focus is on controlling their body, managing the urge to tic, and worrying about those around them. This divided attention can leave them mentally drained, slower to process information, and unable to demonstrate their true ability not because they don’t know the work, but because their energy is being used elsewhere.

By the end of the day, they may be completely exhausted physically and emotionally.

This is why understanding and reasonable adjustments are so important.

Supports such as:

• A separate room
• Rest breaks
• Extra time
• A smaller supervised setting
• A scribe where motor or writing tics make it difficult to physically complete the paper
• Staff awareness and understanding are not about giving an advantage.

They are about creating fairness. For some students, a scribe can make the difference between being assessed on their knowledge and being limited by the physical impact of their tics.
It allows their ideas and learning to come through clearly, without the barrier of involuntary movements.

Sometimes it simply comes down to awareness truly understanding how Tourette’s presents, especially under pressure. When that understanding is in place, small adjustments can make a life changing difference.

Exam season should reflect a student’s ability and learning not how well they can suppress a neurological condition.

With compassion, awareness and the right supports in place, students with Tourette’s can thrive.

10/28/2025

🩵 Watch our NEW YouTube video to learn more about the complex nature of and its co-occurring conditions, and how they manifest in the classroom, the school yard, and other public settings. Explore from the perspective of a student with TS, their teachers and peers, and the school system while learning strategies for navigating challenges so that all students can thrive.

💻 Watch this video: https://bit.ly/4hL4SWt

09/05/2025

Wednesday was big for Giants 3B Matt Chapman, not just because of his 2 home runs, but also because he opened up about his Tourette syndrome.

06/22/2025

That's a wrap on ! Thank you to our presenters, attendees, volunteers, and staff for making this year's national conference one to remember.🩵

🎉We'll see you IN PERSON for TIC-CON26 in Nashville, TN, June 12-14, 2026!
🔗To be added to our TIC-CON26 notifications and communications, please complete this interest form: https://bit.ly/3HO9z3S

06/01/2025

🧘Attend one of our upcoming virtual yoga classes designed specifically for people living with or another . No prior experience needed - just bring your curiosity, a comfy space, and a pen and paper!

📆Register for the session that pertains to you or your child through the link in our bio:
For Ages 11-14: 6/4 at 7:00 PM ET https://bit.ly/44dno4Z
For Ages 15-17: 6/11 at 7:00 PM ET https://bit.ly/3YVxvro

05/18/2025

The restrictions that came with the COVID-19 pandemic helped a local teen with Tourette's syndrome overcome personal and social challenges.

05/01/2025

🧘Join us for one of our upcoming fun and calming virtual yoga classes designed specifically for people living with or another . No prior yoga experience needed - just bring your curiosity, a comfy space, and a pen and paper!

📆Register for the session that pertains to you:
For Ages 7-10: 5/28 at 6:30 PM ET https://bit.ly/4jz9i2s
For Ages 11-14: 6/4 at 7:00 PM ET https://bit.ly/44dno4Z
For Ages 15-17: 6/11 at 7:00 PM ET https://bit.ly/3YVxvro

04/26/2025

A few more tools to add to your therapy toolbox…
🧰 https://www.theottoolbox.com/sensory-coping-strategies-for-kids/
🧰https://www.theottoolbox.com/block-sorting-for-ebook/
🧰https://www.theottoolbox.com/calm-down-corner/
🧰https://www.theottoolbox.com/the-size-of-the-problem-activity-ideas/
🧰https://www.theottoolbox.com/the-limbic-system-and-function/

04/16/2025

🎨Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first session of "Draw on Your Strengths: Art Workshop" - there's still time to register for parts two and three! Youth (ages 7-11) will learn coping strategies for anxious or stressful feelings and discover ways to regulate their breath and nervous system using simple drawing techniques.

🔗Register your child today: https://bit.ly/3Y044Em