Tourette Syndrome
- Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by tics – involuntary sudden movements that occur repeatedly in the same way. Tics may occur many times a day or intermittently.
- Suppressing symptoms of tics may merely postpone a more severe outburst
- Tics result from stress, anxiety, and fatigue
Facts About Tourette Syndrome (Tourette Syndrome Association)
Tourette Syndrome Info Sheet (Tourette Syndrome Association of New York State)
"10 Things I Wish People Knew About Tourette Syndrome"
Signs & Symptoms:
Motor tics
- Eye blinking/rolling
- Facial grimaces/distortions
- Scratching, clapping, pinching, kicking, stomping
- Hitting self, mouth stretching, tongue thrusting, abdominal jerking
Vocal tics
- Throat clearing, coughing, humming
- Screaming, yelping, barking, moaning
- Saying words, grunting, sniffing, spitting, snorting
Associated Conditions:
Associated conditions can include attention problems (ADHD/ADD, impulsiveness and oppositional defiant disorder), obsessive compulsive behavior, and learning disabilities. There is usually a family history of tics, Tourette syndrome, ADHD, and/or OCD.