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About Tourette
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| UNDERSTANDING TOURETTE SYNDROME |
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder. It usually shows itself by tics. Tics are sounds or movements that are repeated over and over again. TS is diagnosed by observing the symptoms and the history of the patient, including when the tics first appeared. No medical tests have been found to help diagnosis TS.
To be diagnosed with TS a person must have both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics for a period of at least one-year, beginning before the patient is age 21. The tics do not have to occur at the same time. They can vary in frequency and they can disappear for weeks or even months at a time.
Tourette Syndrome can affect people of all ethnic groups. Males are affected 3 to 4 times more often than females. The severity of TS varies from patient to patient. Some patients are severely affected, but most cases are mild. Most people get better as they get older and they can expect a normal life span.
Symptoms:
The first symptoms of TS are usually facial tics. The most common is eye blinking. Some people have vocal tics such as clearing the throat or sniffing. Their tics or behavior does not disable most people, but some do need medication. Medications are available to help control the symptoms of TS when they interfere with normal activities.
What you should know about Tourette Syndrome:- Its cause is believed to be in the brain and how two parts of the brain communicate. The defect that causes TS has not been established.
- Tics include eye blinking, neck jerking, facial grimacing, grunting, sniffing, snorting, hitting oneself, and uttering words or phrases out of context.
- The tics associated with TS are often treated medically, not because they hurt the patient, but because they may be embarrassing.
- Symptoms of TS begin before the age of 21, usually between the ages of 2 and 15.
- 200,000 Americans are estimated to have TS. More have yet to be diagnosed.
- A person with TS has a 50% change of passing the gene to his or her children. If a child inherits the gene, a son will have a 3 to 4 times higher chance of inheriting the disorder. Ten percent of children who inherit the Tourette gene will have symptoms severe enough to need medical support.
- Some people with TS also have related disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, sleep disorders and antisocial behavior.
How do I find a local support group for Tourette Syndrome?- You can find a list of state and international TS chapters by contacting:
National Tourette Syndrome Association
42-40 Bell Boulevard
Bayside, New York 11361-2820
Phone: 718-224-2999
Fax: 718-279-9596
e-mail: tourette@ix.netcom.com
Web: National Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc.
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