Symptoms Tourette Syndrome example essay topic

Tourette syndrome Description and Incidence Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome is one of a number of tic disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. The Tic Disorders can be distinguished from one another based on duration and variety of tics and the age at onset. Tourette's Disorder has duration of more than 12 months. The estimated incidence of Tourette's ranges widely but is probably four to five individuals per 10,000.

It occurs two to three times more frequently in males. Undoubtedly, there are numbers of other students with symptoms who have not been diagnosed. When diagnosed and treated early, many of the associated learning, emotional, and social disabilities it produces can be lessened or dealt with more effectively. The goal of any program for a person with Tourette Syndrome is to assist the person in learning and interacting productively in school and society. Toru ette Syndrome is a multiple tic disorder, with motor and vocal tics present, but not necessarily concurrently, which begins in childhood and is a lifelong condition that seems to change in its manifestations and intensity. The cause of Tourette Syndrome is unknown.

The basic defect is thought to be a biochemical abnormality in the ganglia of the brain. Diagnosis 1. Age of onset before the age of 18, usually between 6-7 years of age 2. Rapid, recurrent, repetitive, purposeless, and involuntary motor movements affecting multiple groups of muscles. 3. Multiple vocal tics (grunts, barks, moans, shouting of socially inappropriate words or phrases, etc.) 4.

Ability to suppress movements and sounds voluntarily for minutes to hours. 5. Variations in the intensity of symptoms over weeks or months. 6.

A duration of symptoms for more than one year with no tic-free period of more than three months. Symptoms Tourette Syndrome begins in childhood, usually with a single tic involving the head. The tic may be eye blinks, facial grimaces, or head tics. Tics can spread to the trunk and legs and may result in major motor activities such as hopping, jumping, and kicking.

Vocal tics may occasionally be the presenting symptom. Not all patients have vocal and motor tics present at the same time though both will occur at the same time during the course of the disorder. A small group of patients develop coprolalia (involuntary cursing) and others develop echolalia (repetition of another's words or phrases), (repetition of one's own words or phrases with increasing rapidity), or echopraxia (imitation of the movements of others), and (impulsive obscene gestures). Other symptoms are touching, repetitive thoughts, and obsessive-compulsive behavior. Treatment There is a wide range of medications available for the treatment of the Tourette Syndrome. Drugs such as (Or ap) and (Cat apres) are used to control tics.

Antidepressants and stimulants are prescribed to improve attention deficits. Other drugs are helpful in treating depression and obsessive / compulsive behaviors and aggression. Because of the problems associated with combining these drugs, the physician, parent, and child must often choose the most debilitating symptoms to target with medications. Even then, the use of one drug to control some troubling symptoms may exacerbate other symptoms. All medications have undesirable and often severe side effect. All drugs and medications must be monitored and dosage adjusted for each child by the physician who will rely partially on parent, student, and school staff observations.

Tidbits Over 18% of all children have one or more tics at some point in their development. Approximately 3% of children in regular education classrooms may have Tourette's Syndrome; more than 7% of children in special education have Tourette's Syndrome. The majority of these children have never been diagnosed. Over half of the children seen in Tourette's clinics experience significant academic, peer, or behavioral problems, although it is probably not because of the Tourette's. The majority of people who have Tourette's do not have that "cursing symptom" that the media always mentions (called Coprolalia). Nor is coprolalia required for diagnosis.

Available Websites. National Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc... Dr. Larry Burd's online clinic. Tic Disorders Specialty Clinic. Hope Press. Latitudes.

Tourette Syndrome - Now What? Tourette Syndrome Web Ring Available In The Office Now... Tips on Dealing with Tics in the Classroom. Educating Peers About Tourette's Syndrome.