A MUM is raising awareness of how Tourette’s affects young children after her son was asked to leave McDonald’s for swearing.

Ryley Newman, ten, was with his mum Tanita at the fast food restaurant in Tollgate, Stanway.

The family had gone during the week to practise socialising, as Ryley, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s over two years ago, feels anxious around other people.

A staff member said a couple had complained about his swearing, and the family ended up having to eat their food in the car.

Tanita, from Tolleshunt D’Arcy, wants to raise awareness of the syndrome and how it impacts children.

She said: “The manager was helpful there, but it was one member of staff who said we should leave.

“We had gone in to practise habit reversal techniques as he is not going out much at the moment, due to other people’s reactions.

“He has a complex type of Tourette’s. It started off mild but peaks between the ages of 10 and 14. He started swearing about three weeks ago.”

Swearing is just a small part of the syndrome.

The more worrying thing for Ryley and his mum are his ticks.

She added: “He is not in school at the moment as he would bang his head on the desk.

“They can also paralyse him and he stops breathing to the point where he passes out.

“He’s upset over the fact he swears as he hates swearing.

“He has always organised a lot of charity events and doesn’t want it to affect that.”

Tanita started a Facebook group for her son, who was attending St Nicholas Primary School, called Find Ryley Some Ticking Good Friends.

One of the things Ryley finds hardest is the fact he feels isolated.

He is always well behaved and has lots of friends, but his syndrome has started to control every aspect of his life and he is in need of emotional support.

His mum added: “The best way to describe it is like holding off a blink. You can do it but it has to come out eventually.

“It gives them that same uncomfortable feeling, it’s almost painful.”

As his ticks mean he physically hurts himself, he has been off school for the past three weeks, but it is hoped after the half term he can gradually start to feel comfortable.

The school has been supportive, in particular his special educational needs team. He has also received help from Mid and North East Essex Mind, and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Ryley hopes to go to Thurstable School in the future, but the anxiety he feels makes it harder to see what will happen.

His mum said: “He was really into sport but he feels he ruins it for his team mates. He can’t go out on his own as he is a danger to himself.

“When we were at Mind, he was asked what the one thing he could change would be, and he said the impact his Tourettes had on other people.”

Tanita is now seeking help from national charity Tourette’s Action to set up a support group in Essex.

She already uses the Facebook page she set up to update people on Ryley’s syndrome and has been contacted by some parents and has found their support helpful.

To raise awareness and funds for a new support group she is hosting a walk starting at Rowhedge river front on June 9 at 11.30am. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Tanita added: “One in 100 children have tourettes, which I find insane. It’s so common but no-one understands it.”

The manager at McDonald’s apologised to the family and they are in the process of reporting the incident.