How is Tourettes syndrome diagnosed?
There are no clinical or medical tests for definitively ruling in or out Tourette’s syndrome. The diagnosis is made based upon a history of persistent, frequently-changing motor and vocal tics which develop during childhood. Other secondary causes of tics (tourettism) and conditions which also include tics (such as autism spectrum disorders or stereotypic movement disorder) must be ruled out before conferring a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome, so physicians may do some screening tests or other medical testing, just to rule out other conditions if they are suspected. However, doctors who are very familiar with tic disorders, and in cases when a family history of tics/OCD can be verified, may be comfortable diagnosing Tourette’s syndrome without doing other screening tests. Two commonly missed diagnoses in children with tics are autism and stereotypic movement disorder, and doctors who are not well versed in tic disorders may mistakenly label these conditions as Tourette’s disorder.
