Some psychiatric disorders are characteristic of childhood and can be noticed from the very early years of life. Some are noticeable because they manifest through some external sign, while others are more discreet and difficult to detect, often going unnoticed. Tourette syndrome is one of these disorders that affects children and adolescents up to 18 years old. The term “nervous tic” is more common; we’ve heard about it, and very likely at some point we ourselves have called a repetitive movement a tic. But there is a difference between tics, OCD, and habits in Tourette Syndrome, which includes some manifestations such as multiple tics—both motor and vocal.

Discovery of the Syndrome

Tourette syndrome, scientifically named Syndrome de la Tourette, was first described by the French physician Jean Itard in 1825. But only years later, in 1885, was Gilles de la Tourette able to further investigate more than 5 cases of patients diagnosed with this syndrome, which was later named after him as a tribute. Unfortunately, people with Tourette or other syndromes, depending on the severity of the disease, face prejudice, which naturally harms their social life. That’s why it’s extremely important to seek a specialist to start treatment as soon as possible. Although syndromes like Tourette have no cure, it is possible to treat and control involuntary movements. See below for more detailed information on the characteristics, symptoms, and treatment of this syndrome, which affects around 0.4 to 3.8% of children between 5 and 18 years old.

Characteristics of Tourette Syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder that manifests during childhood and presents as multiple tics, both motor and vocal, that usually persist for more than a year. In most cases, symptoms greatly improve in adulthood; only in chronic cases, which are a minority, can it be more difficult to control even as the years go by. With more information about the illness being shared by specialists, naturally, cases diagnosed as Tourette have increased in the past decade, and several treatment options with very high rates of success have appeared, with great rehabilitation possibilities. Patients with Tourette have motor tics combined with vocal tics, which can be manifested in various ways. All movements are performed involuntarily and with a certain frequency, and are truly uncontrollable. Therefore, if you notice any tic or symptom suggesting a psychomotor disorder, see a doctor immediately for an accurate diagnosis and guidance on the most effective treatments.

Main Symptoms

Most Tourette syndrome patients initially display motor tics such as blinking, contracting facial muscles, shaking the head, sharply contracting abdominal or other muscles, and even more complex movements like touching or hitting nearby objects, combined with vocal tics such as coughing, sniffing, and the partial or total utterance of certain words. They often also have other symptoms in addition to tics, including compulsions, obsessions, attention deficit, impulsivity, learning difficulties, verbal disfluency (stuttering), mood swings, irritability, self-harm, anxiety, depression, autism, difficulty relating to peers, as well as aggressive behavior and changes in sleep patterns. In rarer cases, people with Tourette syndrome involuntarily utter obscene words (coprolalia) or make obscene gestures (copropraxia), and also may show insulting expressions, repetition of words or phrases said by others (echolalia). In these extreme cases, social interactions become even more affected and require greater care.

Diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome

Diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome is based only on clinical analysis. Several factors are assessed for confirmation of the condition, for which parents will be asked about the child’s daily behavior, providing relevant and essential information for a precise evaluation.

Assessments

See which are the most relevant points, and if you notice any of these symptoms in your child’s behavior, be sure to consult a specialist.

  • It is evaluated whether there are, during the syndrome, multiple motor tics as well as one or more vocal tics, even if not simultaneously.
  • The frequency of tic episodes is checked: whether they occur almost daily or intermittently, for a period longer than a year;
  • It is necessary to understand if the tic changes anatomical location over time.
  • The amount, frequency, complexity, type, and severity of the tics are also assessed.
  • When the onset of a particular type of motor or vocal tic was noticed.
  • And finally, it is checked if any other illness or cause could be provoking the involuntary movements or vocalizations.

Treatment of Tourette Syndrome

There is still no cure for this syndrome, but with available treatments, it is possible to keep episodes under control. Besides specific medications that reduce tic intensity, research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy, also known as habit reversal training, has been extremely important for achieving satisfactory results. Therapeutic treatment consists of training patients to monitor their premonitory feelings before a tic, so that they respond with another voluntary physical movement that is incompatible with the tic. The proper treatment will depend on the severity of the symptoms, the impact on the self-esteem and social acceptance of the patient, and especially in the case of children, even greater caution is needed when evaluating. Checking the interference of tics on the child’s normal development and ensuring that daily tasks are performed as naturally as possible are the priorities during medical treatment. Choosing any type of treatment will be a decision made by the parents together with the doctor. Many children with Tourette syndrome do not undergo any treatment, because their symptoms are mild and do not interfere with their daily routine and especially with their development. In these cases, the doctor may simply follow the patient for a long period, monitoring the progression of the disease until understanding that some intervention is needed. The parents of children with Tourette syndrome play a fundamental role in improvement. Talk a lot with your children, be patient, and above all, never criticize their shortcomings—instead, always build their self-esteem and confidence. This makes a huge difference and helps them a lot to face prejudice and overcome any barriers! See Also: What is Asperger’s Syndrome? Photo: Pezibear