Many people wonder what Tourette’s syndrome is exactly. Although I sure people have seen from movies, would think someone with Tourette’s would curse a lot loudly, or say inappropriate expressions, but that is lease likely to occur. Tourette’s syndrome is one of many disorders in a human. It is a neurological disorder that makes people lose control of their body, twitch uncontrollably, and shout out unusual words, also may cause blinking repeatedly, these are known as tics. This disorder is known to be hereditary, but also may just so happen due to stress and what not. It is known when having Tourette’s syndrome; you may also have another sort of disorder. Sadly, there is no cure for this mysterious disorder, but with professional help and medication, the tics can be less severe. But hopefully soon enough, maybe later on in the future there will be a cure for this disorder.
If having tics for over a year a doctor would say you have a chronic tic disorder, in most cases its part of Tourette’s, which was first determined, in 1825 by a doctor named Georges Gilles de la Tourette, a French neurologist. In 1885, he proclaimed a cause of the syndrome on a few patients. Most of his patients were young men. It was known that having this disorder was very rare. He found that the disorder was running in families. While finding ways to describe the disorder, it has been named after him.
With having this disorder it is mostly found during childhood, usually within the ages of 7 and 10 years. “Tourette’s occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about three to four times more often than females. It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of Tourette’s syndrome, and as many as one in 100 exhibits milder and less complex symptoms such as chronic motor or vocal tics or transient tics of childhood. Although Tourette’s syndrome can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the conditions experience their worst symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood.” (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/detail_tourette.htm, NINDS) This disorder is not contagious, you would not be able to touch someone and get Tourette’s. It seems so that the reason men have a higher chance of getting Tourette’s also have to do with the fact as a child; boys are usually diagnosed with ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) which links to Tourette’s.
This disorder affects people differently, “Amanda, a 14-year-old who suffers from Tourette's, struggles to hold in her tics every day at school. Fear of teasing and taunting overpowers her innate need to let the tics out. "I can't really explain how I feel, but it just hurts inside," Amanda says tearfully. "I am afraid that people will actually make fun of me.” Once Amanda gets home from school, she says all the urges she suppressed come out in a steady stream, making childhood activities like homework nearly impossible.” (http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Tourettes-Syndrome/2#slideshow, Oprah) Not everyone feels the way Amanda does with their Tourette’s. She seems to dislike the fact that Tourette’s controls her body. “Jasper, whose tics are mostly verbal, says he can feel every tic coming—almost like a cough or a sneeze. The urges can also be compared to a "hiccup in your mind." When the tic overtakes Jasper, he says the words "coffee," "metal" and "die" repeatedly.” (http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Tourettes-Syndrome/3, Oprah) He however seems to not have control of his body when the vocal tics startup. Also, “Colin, another child who suffers from Tourette's, isn't shy about his disease. His mother Dorene even says he's an advocate of sorts for other children with the neurological disorder. When Colin feels a tic coming on-“It’s like the need to shake his head—he says he can't help but give in to his urges. Kind of like a little man in your head, and he's just saying, 'you’ve got to tic, “Colin says. “[The tic] keeps nagging and nagging and nagging at you until finally you just say, 'Okay.' And then you shake your head or you cough or you do whatever." (http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Tourettes-Syndrome/4, Oprah) Having tics, these people are still human beings; they just have some weaknesses controlling their body. It is sad to know that children feel the need to hide their problem just to seem normal, or so they do not feel they will get picked, and laughed at by other children who do not understand what they have.
It is still uncertain what causes the Tourette’s syndrome, “researchers have found that heredity is mainly responsible for this disorder. It has been established that most people with the Tourette disorder have inherited it from their parents. But it is unclear how the disease passes on from parents to off springs. The disease is not contagious. It is believed that a person with a parent suffering from the syndrome has 50% of chance of developing the disorder in his or her adolescent years.” (http://www.healthtipsandguides.net/what-is-tourette-syndrome-its-causes-symptoms-and-treatment.html, admin. in Diseases and Conditions) Your chances of having a parent with this disorder are at higher risk to get Tourette’s, but not in all cases must one of your parents have the disorder.
There are two different types of tics a person with Tourette’s has. One is a motor tic, “this condition is mainly characterized by involuntary muscular movements. The movements are most prominently visible in the face even though other parts of the body are also affected. A Tourette’s sufferer constantly grimaces, jerks his shoulders, clicks his tooth or moves his limbs. The patient can stop it only for a while but not for extended periods. These tics or twitches are called motor tics. These are often misinterpreted by other people who think that the person is making faces at them. Sometimes the patient may even touch other people. In rare cases, the tics may evolve into self-injurious actions like lip-biting or excessive scratching.” (http://www.healthtipsandguides.net/what-is-tourette-syndrome-its-causes-symptoms-and-treatment.html, admin. in Diseases and Conditions)Having motor tics must be very hard for a person to control, not being able to control your own body as if you were some kind of puppet. The other tic is called a Vocal tic, “or making sounds is another of the notable Tourette syndrome symptoms. In the early stages of the disorder, the vocal tics include making sounds like grunting, barking, throat clearing, sighing, sniffing or clicking the tongue. In the later stages, these may develop into complicated and annoying symptoms like uttering words and phrases out of context. Many sufferers of this syndrome repeat words spoken by themselves or others. In certain cases, the patient may even utter swear words loudly and repeatedly. These are involuntary actions which the sufferer cannot stop at his or her will.” (http://www.healthtipsandguides.net/what-is-tourette-syndrome-its-causes-symptoms-and-treatment.html, admin. in Diseases and Conditions) I always thought people with vocal tics patients would blurt out absurd words just to be funny, nor did I ever realize, they have some kind of problem going on. The disorder is associated with many other abnormal conditions such as, Obsessive actions, Autism, Sleep irregularities, Depression, Anxiety, Compulsive disorder, Learning problems, Restless leg syndrome, and Hyperactivity.
It is often difficult to diagnose someone with Tourette’s syndrome. Although, to be diagnosed you must get a physical examination, neurological examination; also the medical history, and family members must be reviewed. At an early age when children are developing learning behavioral skills, it is overlooked if a child has this disorder or if they are simply acting up. As an adult Ms. C has suffered from Tourette’s, she said her doctor had diagnosed her at the age of 14 with this disorder due to nerves, and stress. Whether you are an adolescent or an adult, it is best to get checked if you feel you have any symptoms of Tourette’s.
Tourette’s is not treated unless it interferes with daily activities. Medication, psychological counseling and therapy, are used to cure this disorder. Medicine is used to lessen the tics. Some of the medicines used are, tranquilizers: Clonidine, Mellari, and Navane these medications are some of the drugs used to lessen stress patients. Antidepressant, such as Lithobid, Sertraline, and Paxil enhances the serotonin (a neurotransmitter) level and amplifies nerve impulses. Lastly Stimulants, medicines such as Pemoline, Dexedrine, and Ritalin are used to control hyperactivity in Tourette patients. Psychological counseling is very useful; it helps cut down psychological stress. The disorder in children is cured by counseling as well. In therapy the patients are taught to control their tics and watch ordeal when they are bothered, also calm activities are recommended that can help the mind. Even though there are many forms of treatment, none fully cure the disorder, but strongly help the person in need.
As I mentioned Ms. C before, I had interviewed her about her diagnosis of Tourette’s syndrome. She has complex motor tics; the disorder causes her to blink her eyes constantly, twitch her arm, twitching/jerking of her head, neck and face, snorting of the nose, throat clearing, repeated words, facial tics, and touching of the nose. I asked when does it worsen she said, “It worsens during stress, anxiety, fatigue”. She also said, “She has a chemical imbalance which could attribute to it.” She does not like to be around people, because it is very hard for her to control her tics. She also gets embarrassed, because she knows people are looking at her and think strangely of her. She said, “She tries to hold in her tics.” There are times when the tics do not happen for long periods of time, and for whatever reason starts up again. She believes is because of stress, and the loss of her previous job. She recently just had been diagnosed with Attention Deficient Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Depression Disorder. Her tics do not cause her to blurt out. She feels because there is no cure she will never find a relationship and be happy since she said, “I have this awful looking syndrome that makes me look so stupid.” She was prescribed Clonidine, which is for high blood pressure, but also helps control her tics; she refused to take the medication, because it made her feel, “very tired, and felt high on drugs” Ms. C said. Since the medication makes her sleepy and feel high, stated another reason she did not take the medication was because she has three children to take care of, and has to drive.
It is sad to know that many people feel that having this disorder makes them not normal, or stupid. Not all people with Tourette’s have the same symptoms, but are pretty similar to one another. Having this disorder does not characterize someone’s life. Some people think that having Tourette’s illustrates who they are. Some things to do to lessen the cause of Tourette’s syndrome are: “To get involved; some people say that when they're engrossed in an activity, their tics are milder and less frequent. Sports, exercise, or hobbies are great ways for people to focus mental and physical energy. Some well-known athletes have Tourette’s .Give a helping hand; dealing with Tourette’s often makes people more understanding of other people's feelings, especially other patients with problems. Use your special sensitivity by volunteering; embrace your creativity. Creative activities such as writing, painting, or making music help focus the mind on other things. There's speculation that the composer Mozart had Tourette’s syndrome. Find support. The Tourette Syndrome Association sponsors support groups with others who understand the challenges of the disorder. Take control; people with the disorder can feel more in control of their lives by researching Tourette’s, asking their doctors plenty of questions, and taking an active role in their treatment.” (http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/brain_nervous/tourette.html#, Harry S. Abram, MD) There are many other severe disorders people have, but having love and support only makes a patient feel much better about them. Also to let them know they are human just like anyone else.
Studies show that, “it is not known exactly how many people have Tourette Syndrome (TS). A Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study has found that 3 of every 1,000 children 6 through 17 years of age and living in the United States have been diagnosed with TS; this represents about 148,000 children. Other studies using different methods have estimated the rate of TS at 6 per 1,000 children. Among children with TS, 27% have been reported as having moderate or severe forms of the condition. (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/data.html, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) The statistics show more of children getting Tourette’s only because that’s when it starts to develop. In some cases, tics decrease during childhood and early adulthood, and sometimes may vanish completely; though, some patients encounter tics into adulthood and, in some situations, tics can turn out to worsen in adulthood. Depending on the person and how severe, the tics may vary.
I think although people with Tourette’s see themselves as having a problem, they are also unique in their own way. People with Tourette’s are harmless; they are just regular people with some troubles. Patients with this disorder are individuals just like people without any disorder. They feel the need to hide, or be embarrassed for having these tics. I feel they should shine just as much as a person without it would, although they are different, having Tourette’s patients should feel dumb or embarrassed. It is not their fault they have this problem and people should understand.it is best to comfort a patient diagnosed with this disorder so they do not feel out of place or different from the rest. Let the person express what they might have to say or do. Like stated before Tourette’s is not some weird disease that cause people to shout out bad words, or do some inappropriate movement. Nor is it contagious, and not yet has a cure, but somewhere down the line, someone will hopefully come up with a cure to get rid of Tourette’s. If you feel you or your child have any symptoms of Tourette’s go get checked.