Tourette syndrome (TS), also known as Tourette’s, is a neurological disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. The disorder usually causes repeated, involuntary movements and sounds that can’t be easily controlled, known as tics.
Most symptoms reduce or disappear in adulthood. While it is incurable, treatment that includes behavioural therapies (CBIT) can help manage the disorder.
The exact cause of Tourette’s syndrome is unknown, but its risk factors are
- Genetics (It usually runs in families)
- Brain chemistry (Dopamine & serotonin pathway irregularities)
- Environment (Prenatal stress or infections)
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of Tourette’s are commonly divided into two: motor tics (movement) and vocal tics (sounds).
Motor tics involve sudden movements such as rapid or repeated eye blinking, nose twitching, shoulder shrugging, facial grimacing, or head jerking. These movements can be mild or more pronounced, depending on the individual.
Vocal tics, on the other hand, include sounds like throat clearing, sniffing, grunting, or repeating words.
Some individuals experience complex vocal tics, which may involve coordinated patterns such as touching objects repeatedly, repeating one’s own words (palilalia), repeating others’ words (echolalia), or, less commonly, uttering socially inappropriate or foul words (coprolalia).
Important Facts To Know About Tourette’s Syndrome
1. It is actually common
Research shows that about 1 in every 100 school children has it, meaning in a typical classroom, there’s a good chance at least one child is affected, whether diagnosed or not.
2. It usually shows up in early childhood
Most children develop their first tics between ages 5 and 7, so mild at first that parents mistake them for habits or nervous quirks. Many people aren’t diagnosed until much later.
3. Women are often overlooked
Girls and women tend to have milder or different symptoms, which means they are frequently misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. However, it affects more men than women.
4. It often gets better with age
Many people see a noticeable reduction in tics by their late teens or early twenties. It doesn’t always disappear, but for a lot of people, symptoms reduce significantly in late adolescence or adulthood and are much easier to manage over time.
5. It’s a neurological condition, not a mental illness
Tourette syndrome is caused by differences in brain function, not a lack of discipline or emotional instability.
6. Stress worsens it
Tics often become more noticeable during periods of stress, anxiety, excitement, or fatigue.
7. It often comes with other conditions
Many people with Tourette syndrome also experience ADHD, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive behaviours. Managing those alongside tics is often a big part of the picture.
8. The hardest years tend to be around age 10–12
Tics usually peak in frequency and intensity during early adolescence, which also happens to be one of the most socially sensitive periods of a child’s life, making the condition particularly challenging at that stage.
9. Tics come with a warning sensation
Before a tic happens, most people feel a building pressure or discomfort similar to the urge to blink or scratch an itch. The tic temporarily relieves that feeling, which is part of why suppressing them is so exhausting.
ALSO READ: 8 Facts To Know About The Rare Disease Called Stiff Person Syndrome