Tourette’s Syndrome Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder defined by sudden, repetitive, involuntary movements or vocalizations called tics. The worst symptoms are first noticed in childhood before the age of 18 years with improvement into late teens and adulthood. Males are affected three to four times more often than females. Approximately 200,000 individuals have a severe form of TS. Tic disorders can occur in all ethnic and cultural groups and tend to be genetic. Evidence suggests that TS is an inherited disorder. A genetic predisposition may not result in full blown TS, but a milder case. Males that are at risk are more likely to have tics and females at risk are more likely to have obsessive compulsive symptoms. Chemicals
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Sudden tic like obscene gestures, or Copropraxia, with
repetitive movements known as echopraxia can also occur. For an individual with a tic disorder, there is an urge to perform the tic and often relief is felt after once the behavior has occurred. Tics can occur in spells that can last from seconds to many hours. Frequency and severity of the spells can change with different times of the day and environmental changes. (Womble, 2011)
There are many disorders that can be associated with TS such as: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), problems with reading and writing, and obsessive compulsive symptoms such as worrying and repetitive behaviors. Problems with depression or anxiety have been reported by individuals with TS. With TS there are feelings of emotional discomfort, shame, and self-consciousness. (Stroke, …show more content…
The existence of other neurological or psychiatric disorders can assist the doctor with diagnosing the disorder. There is no blood, lab work, or diagnostic testing for diagnosing the individual. Symptoms of TS can be mistaken for other conditions such as eye twitching with vision problems or sniffling with allergies. There is a criterion used to diagnose TS. This criterion includes motor and vocal tics, both being present, but it doesn’t have to be at the same time. The tics occur several times during the day, either every day or beginning and stopping for more than a year and should not include a break of more than three months. The onset of tics occurs before age 18, and if the tics are not caused by medications or other medical conditions. This criterion is determined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Sudden tic like obscene gestures, or Copropraxia, with
repetitive movements known as echopraxia can also occur. For an individual with a tic disorder, there is an urge to perform the tic and often relief is felt after once the behavior has occurred. Tics can occur in spells that can last from seconds to many hours. Frequency and severity of the spells can change with different times of the day and environmental changes. (Womble, 2011)
There are many disorders that can be associated with TS such as: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), problems with reading and writing, and obsessive compulsive symptoms such as worrying and repetitive behaviors. Problems with depression or anxiety have been reported by individuals with TS. With TS there are feelings of emotional discomfort, shame, and self-consciousness. (Stroke, …show more content…
The existence of other neurological or psychiatric disorders can assist the doctor with diagnosing the disorder. There is no blood, lab work, or diagnostic testing for diagnosing the individual. Symptoms of TS can be mistaken for other conditions such as eye twitching with vision problems or sniffling with allergies. There is a criterion used to diagnose TS. This criterion includes motor and vocal tics, both being present, but it doesn’t have to be at the same time. The tics occur several times during the day, either every day or beginning and stopping for more than a year and should not include a break of more than three months. The onset of tics occurs before age 18, and if the tics are not caused by medications or other medical conditions. This criterion is determined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders