What is Tourettes Disorder?
Tourette’s disorder (also known as Tourette’s syndrome) is an inhertited neurological disorder characterized by tics. (A tic is a brief, recurrent, involuntary movement or vocalization that is of sudden onset and serves no apparent purpose). The symptoms of Tourette’s disorder generally appear during childhood, and the symptoms frequently worsen during adolescence. The disorder is diagnosed three times more often in males than in females (NAMI). An estimated 100,000 Americans have full-blown Tourette’s, and as many as 1 in 200 display partial expression of the disorder, such as chronic multiple tics or transient childhood tics (Pediatric Neurological Associates).Diagnosing Tourette’s DisorderThere is no brain test or laboratory test to determine if someone has Tourette’s disorder. A professional must observe the patient closely and take a careful history of him or her. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (1994), Tourette’s can be diagnosed in individu
