Tourette Syndrome, TS, is a neurological disorder that usually shows up in children around the age of 6, but can show signs anytime between the ages of 2 and 15 years of age, with males being 3-4 times more likely to be affected than females.

This nervous system condition causes people to have 2 types of  “tics,” motor or vocal, which are further divided into simple or complex tics.

Motor tics are sudden movements or twitches of the body, like blinking, jerking of a body part, mouth movements, or shrugging. Vocal tics are repetitive noises a person makes like grunting, clearing their throat, coughing, or yelling out words or phrases. Simple tics usually involve one or two muscle movements, like blinking & sniffing, while complex tics include multiple muscle movements in a pattern; such as jerking an arm while hopping & nodding your head.

While these tics are considered chronic, they can change over time from the type of tic to how often they occur, even disappearing & reappearing. Tics often decrease or become controlled after the teen years.

While the cause of Tourette Syndrome is unknown, it’s believed to be a combination of environmental & genetic factors. Tics are usually worse when a person is excited or stressed & seem to improve when they are relaxed or focused.

Unfortunately, there is not a specific test to diagnose Tourette Syndrome, however, if the person exhibits both, motor & vocal tics consistently for a year & other mimicking conditions have been ruled out, then a doctor can diagnose TS.

Although there is no cure for TS, many people do not need treatment unless it interferes with their daily life. If that is the case, medication & behavioral or talk therapy are available.

If you think your child may have Tourette Syndrome there are doctors online now to help.  If you would like to receive a second opinion regarding your child’s TS diagnosis and/or treatment plan to manage symptoms, please contact one of the many online doctors at secondopinions.com,  to help you make the best possible choices for your child and for your family. SecondOpinions.com, for your peace of mind.