Tourette Syndrome and other tic disorders

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) usually starts in childhood, around the age of 7.

The first symptoms of Tourette's syndrome are usually facial tics such as rapid blinking or twitches of the mouth, but TS may start with sounds such as throat clearing and sniffing, or even with multiple tics of movement and sounds.

Tourette syndrome explained

With thanks to Tourette Syndrome (UK) Association

It is a common misconception that all people with TS swear involuntarily. In fact this symptom of TS, known as coprolalia, only affects around 10 to 15 per cent of TS sufferers.

Tourette syndrome is a recognised medical condition, which is often inherited, but the cause is not yet understood. There are treatments, but there is no cure. It is a very complex condition and can be described, with equal accuracy, as a movement disorder, and neurological condition, or a neuro-psychiatric condition.

TS is four times more common in boys than in girls and is thought to affect one in a hundred people. The symptoms of TS are tics, involuntary repeated movements and sounds.

There are medications which can help control the tics when they cause problems. However, while they may be very successful in some cases, they don’t work for everybody, or they may have undesirable side effects such as weight gain and tiredness.

Choosing a school for children with TS

There is no such thing as the perfect school for children with TS, but there are some things that you can do to help your child and the school. Firstly the school needs as much information as possible about TS. This can be obtained from the TSA www.tsa.org.uk . Secondly you need to satisfy yourself that the school is willing to accommodate the needs of a child with TS; this may involve giving extra time to finish some work, allowing them to leave lessons if tics become too bad and ensuring other children understand TS. Many children with TS can feel isolated and/or bullied because of their tics. Look for a school that has a robust approach to ensuring all children feel safe and valued. Finally you need to work with the school. You may know more about TS than they do, and you certainly know your child better, so they can learn from you. A partnership is the key to success.

The Tourette Syndrome (UK) Association (TSA) is a registered charity providing information to individuals, professionals and to agencies in the fields of health care, education and government. They are dedicated to: promoting medical research; educating, informing and campaigning about TS; and providing support to help peop...