What is Tourette Syndrome?
Introduction
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a disorder that affects a child’s brain chemistry. It causes children to have “tics.”
According to the Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada, a tic is an “involuntary, rapid, sudden movement or vocalization that occurs repeatedly in the same way.” Tics can be simple movements or sounds, such as blinking or sniffing. They can also be more complex, such as jumping, or uttering words or phrases out of context.
Tics in children with TS have been compared to sneezes; while the child can learn to control them to some degree, they are involuntary movements and outbursts.
Challenges and strengths
Tics can range in severity, and can sometimes be inappropriate or disruptive in social and school settings. If they are severe enough, they may cause the child to have difficulty writing exams, working on tasks, and may cause the child to be socially alienated form his or her peers.
Children with TS can face a number of additional challenges, including:
- Inattention
- Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Difficulties with reading, writing and math
- Obsessive/compulsive behaviours
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Learning disabilities
Important strengths in children with TS may include:
- Good classroom performance
- Willingness and desire to socialize
- Receptive to psychotherapy
- Possible development of some control over severity or frequency of tics
Diagnosis
Currently, there is no test for TS; it is diagnosed clinically, based on a checklist of symptoms that the child has to have. The clinician will also check to make sure that the child’s symptoms aren’t caused by some other medical condition.
In order to make the diagnosis, the doctor will determine the history of the child’s symptoms, and will directly observe the child’s behaviour. The American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) – the tool that clinicians use to make a diagnosis – lays out the criteria for diagnosis based on:
- type of tics
- frequency of tics
- age of onset
- no other medical cause of tics
Causes
Research has shown that TS is likely inherited from the genes of a parent. There is no conclusive evidence at this time to show what gene is specifically involved in causing TS, but research is ongoing to try to learn more about what causes TS.