Understand Tourette Syndrome
The Columbus Dispatch
June 1, 2013
This article appeared in the Columbus Dispatch, in Columbus Ohio to explain Tourette Syndrome during the TSA's awareness campaign May 15 to June 15. I thought the explanation of Tourette Syndrome was so well articulated in a simple yet thoughtful manner, that I've attached a
copy to the article that can be downloaded as an aid explain TS to someone unfamiliar with the disorder.
`Steve
May 15 to June 15 marks Tourette Syndrome Awareness month. When I told one friend my sons had Tourette syndrome, she said, ?No, that?s when people swear all the time.?
For a small minority of people, that?s true, but not for most. So what is it?
Tourette syndrome (which we call TS at our house) is a neurobiological disorder that is genetic in nature, and appears during childhood. Its primary characteristic is tics, which are involuntary movements and sounds. A tic might be shrugging your shoulders, shaking your head, shuffling your feet, rolling your eyes or making a funny face. It might be clearing the throat or making a humming or chirping sound.
People with TS are not less intelligent than others, and it is not a mental illness, although many face challenges in terms of their ability to focus, feeling anxious or a tendency to be obsessive.
For a person with TS, the wiring in the white matter of their brain gets stuck in a loop, repeating the same movement or sound, not unlike when a computer is frozen.
Tics are something that happen to a person, rather than something that person does. They are more noticeable during times of stress, excitement or fatigue, and they come and go over the course of the day and over time. One tic may go away and be replaced by another. There is no set pattern of which tics a person will get, or how many. The one constant is that tics seem to begin for most children with blinking and throat-clearing.
What will become of children who have TS? According to the practitioner who diagnosed my son, 50 percent will see their tics disappear during adolescence, 40 percent will see them diminish significantly and the remaining 10 percent will see their tics continue into adulthood.
With a little knowledge about Tourette syndrome, what can people do? Understand. That kid making a sound behind you at the movies, or that kid hopping in line, may not be able to help it.
Ignore the tics. Those who are around someone long enough will get used to the sounds and movements. Accept people they way they are, and teach acceptance to others.
As an added treat, the Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada has provided an animated look at how Tourette Syndrome affects the brain....Your Brain Explained ......have a look!
The Columbus Dispatch
June 1, 2013
This article appeared in the Columbus Dispatch, in Columbus Ohio to explain Tourette Syndrome during the TSA's awareness campaign May 15 to June 15. I thought the explanation of Tourette Syndrome was so well articulated in a simple yet thoughtful manner, that I've attached a
copy to the article that can be downloaded as an aid explain TS to someone unfamiliar with the disorder.`Steve
May 15 to June 15 marks Tourette Syndrome Awareness month. When I told one friend my sons had Tourette syndrome, she said, ?No, that?s when people swear all the time.?
For a small minority of people, that?s true, but not for most. So what is it?
Tourette syndrome (which we call TS at our house) is a neurobiological disorder that is genetic in nature, and appears during childhood. Its primary characteristic is tics, which are involuntary movements and sounds. A tic might be shrugging your shoulders, shaking your head, shuffling your feet, rolling your eyes or making a funny face. It might be clearing the throat or making a humming or chirping sound.
People with TS are not less intelligent than others, and it is not a mental illness, although many face challenges in terms of their ability to focus, feeling anxious or a tendency to be obsessive.
For a person with TS, the wiring in the white matter of their brain gets stuck in a loop, repeating the same movement or sound, not unlike when a computer is frozen.
Tics are something that happen to a person, rather than something that person does. They are more noticeable during times of stress, excitement or fatigue, and they come and go over the course of the day and over time. One tic may go away and be replaced by another. There is no set pattern of which tics a person will get, or how many. The one constant is that tics seem to begin for most children with blinking and throat-clearing.
What will become of children who have TS? According to the practitioner who diagnosed my son, 50 percent will see their tics disappear during adolescence, 40 percent will see them diminish significantly and the remaining 10 percent will see their tics continue into adulthood.
With a little knowledge about Tourette syndrome, what can people do? Understand. That kid making a sound behind you at the movies, or that kid hopping in line, may not be able to help it.
Ignore the tics. Those who are around someone long enough will get used to the sounds and movements. Accept people they way they are, and teach acceptance to others.
As an added treat, the Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada has provided an animated look at how Tourette Syndrome affects the brain....Your Brain Explained ......have a look!
