Tourette’s Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette’s syndrome is a brain and nervous system disorder characterized by abnormal, involuntary, and repetitive body jolts or vocal productions called tics. It can often appear that the individual doesn’t realize this is happening.

Typically, those with Tourette’s will either have just one speech tic and a number of different movement or motor tics.

Prevalence

A 2007 CDC study estimates that 0.6% of children aged six to seventeen have Tourette’s. Among the 0.3% diagnosed, 37% have moderate or severe Tourette’s.

The condition affects people of all backgrounds and races equally but is three to five times more prevalent in males than females, and it is more likely to be noticed in the 9 to 11 age group.

Source KIDS HEALTH | CDC – Prevalence of Diagnosed Tourette | JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL & BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS – A National Profile of Tourette Syndrome | CDC – Data & Statistics on Tourette Syndrome | MAYO CLINIC – Tourette’s Syndrome, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment | CINCINNATI CHILDRENS – Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Tics | TOURETTES ACTION – Behavioural therapies and Tourette Syndrome | Fründt O, Woods D, Ganos C (April 2017). “Behavioral therapy for Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders”. Neurol Clin Pract (Review). 7 (2): 148–56. | Fernandez TV, State MW, Pittenger C (2018). “Tourette disorder and other tic disorders”. Handb Clin Neurol (Review). Handbook of Clinical Neurology. 147: 343–54. | Leckman, JF, Zhang, H, Vitale, A, Lahnin, F, Lynch, K, Bondi, C, et al. Course of tic severity in Tourette Syndrome: the first two decades. Pediatrics. 1998; 102(1 Pt 1): 14-19.