Tourette’s Syndrome

Overview

Tourette’s is a condition of the nervous system, which causes people to have repetitive, involuntary and uncontrollable physical and vocal tics.  These tics are split into two types know as simple and complex. 

Tourette’s usually starts in early childhood between the ages of two to fifteen, most often around six. Whilst there is no cure for the condition there are ways to help manage symptoms, which can vary in severity and frequency.  They can be worse when they are feeling stressed, anxious, excited, tired or ill.

Most people with Tourette’s experience a strong urge or premonitory sensation before a tic. It can feel like a tingling or itching sensation not dissimilar to the one you have before you sneeze. This warning can sometimes help them to temporarily hold back the tic in social situations, it requires concentration but with practice gets easier. Trying to control tics can be very tiring and can result in a sudden release of tics after trying to control them all day at school, when they get home.

Causes

There is no known single cause for developing Tourette’s but it is believed that there are several factors that could play a part.  These include:

•     Genetics, if your parent’s or a close family member have Tourette’s then there is a higher risk you may develop it.
•     Children who had mothers that smoked, had health complications at birth, or had a low birth weight are also at risk.
•     It has also been linked to the basal ganglia, a part of the brain responsible for body movements, and neuro transmitters, chemicals that transmit nerve impulses such as dopamine and serotonin in the brain.
•     Boys are three to four times more likely than girls to develop it.

Types of Tics

 Simple tics are sudden, brief and repetitive such as:

•     Eye darting or blinking
•     Shoulder shrugging
•     Coughing, grunting, barking or throat clearing
•     Nose twitching
•     Head jerking
•     Mouth movements

Complex tics are distinct coordinated patterns of movement like:

•     Repeating word and phrases either their own or that someone else has said
•     Repeating movements they have observed
•     Bending, twisting or jerking
•     Picking up, touching or smelling objects
•     Moving in a certain pattern such as skipping or hopping
•     Swearing or using obscene language or gestures, although this is less common, affecting around ten percent of people with the condition

Associated Conditions

People with Tourette’s can also have behavioural and mood conditions which can include:

•     ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
•     Learning disabilities
•     OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)
•     Depression or anxiety disorders
•     ODD (oppositional defiant disorder)
•     ASD (autism spectrum disorder)

Children can be singled out and bullied because of their symptoms.

Treatment

If you think your child may have Tourette’s you should consult your doctor who can refer you to a neurologist who specialises in diseases of the nervous symptoms. 

Medication is only diagnosed for severe tics as it can cause feelings of drowsiness and sedation, but they can prescribe antianxiety or antidepressant medication if appropriate.

 A psychologist can help you manage your symptoms with therapies such as HRT (habit reversal therapy) which teaches you to recognise the feelings that trigger tics, and to find an alternative less noticeable way of relieving the urge.  ERP (exposure with response prevention) which trains you to better control your urge to tic.  Written by Jan, Jeana and Wendy at Barnsley Hypnosis and Counselling (UK). For more free Information click above link.