Tourette Syndrome?

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My 11-year old cousin has a more mild case of Tourette Syndrome. His parents are in denial that he has it and are not willing to treat it or seek counseling. I have done my research, and while he does not have a problem with his speech or blurting out words, he consistently has ticks, and he snorts, whistles and is always twitching and has rapid bodily movements. If you have any experience with Tourette Syndrome, might you be able to help me? I would appreciate any information you might be able to provide or ways he and his family can get help.

Thank you in advance.
My 11 year old son has Tourettes, OCD and ADHD. The best thing you can do is educate yourself (you have done this, kudos to you!) and others. The parents are making the situation worse by denial. Education about the condition is of utmost importance! The more you and those who love him understand, the better the child's chances of a successful life. The child needs to feel safe at home in an environment where he can tic without comment from others. The people around him need to love him unconditionally. This is not to say that the TS may be used for an excuse. But the child needs to know that his family loves him no matter what.

I have found that while in public, if I treat my son in a "normal" manner that people generally follow suit.

At home, he is loved and respected just like all members of our household. He has chores and homework just like everybody else.

His case is moderate and is very mild with the medicine. Counseling may not be necessary, unless the parents feel they need it in order to come to terms with this condition that will not be going away. Tourettes is lifelong and there is not a cure yet. The TSA web site mentioned in the previous answers is very beneficial.

This is a great book that will help: "Children with Tourette Syndrome, A Parents Guide" Special Needs Collection, by Tracy Haerle.

I enjoyed this book too:
"Front of the Class, How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I never Had", by Brad Cohen

Please feel free to contact me through this site.  (+ info)

tourette syndrome?

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wat prt of the brain is inffected when you have tourette syndrome
The exact mechanism affecting the inherited vulnerability to Tourette's has not been established, and the precise etiology is unknown. Tics are believed to result from dysfunction in cortical and subcortical regions, the thalamus, basal ganglia and frontal cortex.[26] Neuroanatomic models implicate failures in circuits connecting the brain's cortex and subcortex,[4] and imaging techniques implicate the basal ganglia and frontal cortex.[32]

BTW - Cognition is NOT affected, as stated in the answer above mine. It is strictly a hardware problem. The software is fine! My son has Tourettes, OCD and ADHD. He consistently scores high on IQ tests (as high as 124) and is extremely bright. He is not mentally retarded.  (+ info)

How do you know if your tourette's syndrome will dissapear after adolescance? How can i help it dissapear?

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I have tourette's syndrome and i think i can live with it (simple motor tics) but i'm afraid it might destroy some of my hopes and dreams in the future.
Is there anything i can do to
-know if it will dissapear?
-help it dissapear?
NEVER let tourettes take over your life. The only think i found i can't do because of tourettes is be a mime. I have a moderate case and have never let it get in the way of what i want to do in life (I'm only fourteen though). I love to act and am even the only freshmen in my school play. I'm able to hide my tourettes while on stage and just completely explode with my motor tics when i get out of the view of the audience.

But tourettes is a life long disorder. For most people, tics decrease a lot when they get older (they never go away completely). But on some rare occasions, tics don’t decrease. There are some medicines you can take that could decrease tics but the ones I’ve heard of are very ineffective and cause a lot of weight gain. There is also deep brain surgery. But this is only for the people whose tics are so bad to the point where they can’t go to school, feel really embarrassed to go out in public, and have trouble doing things like walking and talking because the tics get in the way. Basically you have to be completely desperate to use surgery because obviously it’s very dangerous.

So I do hope your tics get better. Maybe medicine will help… Good luck accomplishing all your hopes and dreams!


Oh, I just thought of something else. The military might be hard to get into. Like, they wouldn't want to have a person that has tourettes be a someone with a gun just in case of a ticcing finger.  (+ info)

What kinds of meds or something is there for tourette syndrome?

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My 7 year old son was just tested to see if he tourette syndrome. He has all the signs of having it. Is there anything to help? And it throwing stuff a sign of tourettes too?
Tourettes is diagnosed by oral history from you and observation from the doctor. There is not "one" test for TS. The Dr. may ask for other types of tests (EEG, blood tests), but they can only rule out other disorders, which might be helpful. Tics can be motor tics or vocal tics and must have been present for more than one year for a diagnosis.

Throwing stuff is not a symptom, but it may be born out of frustration in dealing with this mysterious disorder. However , education about what is happening helps to dispel mystery and the stigma.

I have noticed that you placed this question in the mental health category. Tourettes is not a mental illness. It is Neurological, or to be more specific, Neurobiological. Your son is not mentally ill. Think of it this way, your son's software is fine (mental capabilities, learning aptitude), but his hardware is wired incorrectly and this causes tics. This is not to say that there cannot be problems, there can, but you can help in this area in a few important ways.

First, allow him to tic at home without comment from others. He needs to feel safe, accepted, and loved. Second, and very important, do not punish him for the tics. Do not try to make him stop. He can't. Make sure teachers and anyone else caring for your son aware that he is not to be punished for tics. Just give him the same love, respect, and discipline as usual.

There are some medications for TS, but they can only lessen the symptoms. There is not "one" medicine that works the same for everybody. Unfortunately, it's all hit and miss. Depending on the severity of the TS, you will need to see what works best for your son. Some people choose not to medicate.

There is not a cure. Tourettes is lifelong and it is not degenerative. The motor and vocal tics are migratory.

My son has a moderate case. He is on Chlonidine and it does help. Be sure to take yor son to a Pediatric Neurologist. If your regular Dr. won't give you referral for a Neuro, switch Doctors. You must advocate for you child. No one else will.

Best wishes.  (+ info)

What makes people with Tourette Syndrome shout out?

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Why do people with Tourette Syndrome usually shout out? What is it that makes them shout or make other noises?
I'm 14 and I have tourette's, but I don't shout out. Very few people with TS shout out things. This is called coprolalia and only about 5% of people with tourette's have this. It's a vocal tic. A vocal tic is any noise a person with tourette's makes. It's usually just things like sniffing, grunting, humming, whistling, coughing, etc.

To be diagnosed with tourette syndrome, multiple motor tics (movements, e.g. eye rolling, shrugging, neck jerking, etc.) and at least one vocal tic must be present. Shouting out is just one of the many vocal tics people with TS have.

The exact cause of Tourette syndrome isn't known, and there's no known way to prevent it. Tourette's is a complex disorder. Tourette syndrome is an inherited disorder. The specific genes involved in Tourette syndrome are still being defined. Certain chemicals in the brain that transmit nerve impulses (neurotransmitters) also play a role, including dopamine and serotonin.  (+ info)

How can I find a Tourette Syndrome Support Group in Los Angeles, CA?

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I have TS (with OCD symptoms and ADHD learning problems).
I belong to the National Tourette Syndrome Association.

The only problem is that their meetings you have to drive and travel to go to one.

Does anyone know of a support group for adults with my disorder?

I am twenty-seven btw.

Thanks.
Maybe if you contact these places they may be able to help you.

http://art.ridne.net/dir/node-81840.html

http://www.tourettesyndrome-socal.org/sgi.htm
http://www.tourettesyndrome-socal.org/index2.htm

http://tourettenowwhat.tripod.com/doctors.htm

Good luck!

  (+ info)

How do I convince my friend that Tourette Syndrome is not fake?

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I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome including related disorders like OCD, etc., 19 years ago.
The problems is, when I tell some friends that I see a psychiatrist and take medication, they tell me:
"Tourette Syndrome isn't real.... You don't have it.... Don't buy into those syndromes and disorders"

They think it's all psychological and not biological (which it is). My brain is physically wired to act this way. Their ignorance makes me upset.
I'm 14 and was just recently diagnosed with tourette syndrome. Only my close friends know about it, and they can sometimes be a bit ignorant of the condition, too. And they laugh at the fact that I'm on medication for it. It's so annoying, because when they laugh when I talk about it, or they see me taking it, or whatever, I would say, 'Would you laugh at someone taking medication/treatment for diabetes?' And they would say, 'Well diabetes is a little different', while laughing. But it really isn't. I was born with this condition, just like people with diabetes are. And I'm treated for it, and so are people with diabetes.

What you could do is bring them to a tourette syndrome conference (I tihnk one is coming up soon), maybe show them the HBO documentary 'I Have Tourette's, But Tourette's Doesn't Have Me', or the movie 'Front of the Class'. Or maybe even ask your psychiatrist/neurologist if they would be willing to explain the condition to your friends.

If they still don't believe it, or won't even try to believe it, then they aren't very good friends. I would tell them this, if your comfortable with it, but only if all else fails.

Good luck and I hope I helped! :)  (+ info)

How would I know if I have Tourette Syndrome?

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I just finished watching the South Park episode where Cartman pretends to have Tourette Syndrome and now I'm all freaked out.

I blurt out obscenities all the time. How do I know if I have Tourette Syndrome or if I just have a dirty mouth?

Donkey humper!
No, you don't have it.

Most people with Tourettes do not have this over-hyped symptom. In fact, less than 10% of TS sufferers have coprolalia. It is not a requirement for a diagnosis. Most people with Tourettes NEVER display this symptom.

Idiots like south park and others like to sensationalize this just for laughs. It's simply not funny, but it is the lowest form of humor which is all one can expect from minds as miniscule as these. It would be like making fun of a cancer patient whose hair falls out, or making fun of a person with Epilepsy, or making fun of a person with Alzheimers. Rude, really.

And It makes life difficult for the many kids in schools across America who suffer abuse from peers who watch this crap and assume that is the way to treat a person who might be just a little different. Shame on them.


BTW the answer below mine is incorrect. The tics and vocal tremors are caused by impulses but a person with TS is not shocked electrically every time they tic. Tourettes is not painful, unless a person bites their tougue or gets hurt from hitting into something. The tics themselves are not painful.

EDUCATE YOURSELVES PEOPLE:

http://www.tsa-usa.org  (+ info)

What kind of doctor deals with tourette's syndrome patients?

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I recently watched this show on TV about tourette's syndrome and now I'm curious about it.
i saw several doctors and finally got sent to a neurologist.i was 9 when 8 or 9 when the tics started and 15 when i was actually diagnosed as having tourette's by a neurologist.i'm 30 now.  (+ info)

is America the only place with Tourette syndrome?

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is America the only place with Tourette syndrome? Do they have tourrettes in other countries too?
History lesson!

Tourettes syndrome was named after Gilles de la tourettes, a frenchman. It was discovered in france.

There was recently something on TV that showed a tourettes camp, with american and english teenagers, and some canadians.

It's a worldwide disorder.  (+ info)

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