What is Tourette syndrome?

• Recent research suggests as many as one in 200 people have Tourette syndrome. The current prevalence rate in children is one in 100. 
• The symptoms generally appear before the individual is 18 years old. 
• Males are more often affected than females. 
• Although Tourette syndrome is generally lifelong and chronic, it is not degenerative. In a few cases, complete remission occurs after adolescence.

Symptoms include rapid, repetitive and involuntary muscle movements and vocalisations called ‘tics’, which are classified as simple or complex.  

• Simple tics involve sudden, brief movement within a limited number of muscle groups. These occur in a single and isolated fashion and are often repetitive.  

• Complex tics involve distinct, co-ordinated patterns of movements which involve several muscle groups. These may include jumping, smelling objects, touching the nose, other people etc. 

Typically, tics increase as a result of tension or stress, and decrease with relaxation or concentration. 

Some of the other disorders that may be experienced by people with Tourette syndrome include: 

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) 

• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) 

• Learning disabilities 

• Sleep disorders 

References:
What Is Tourette Syndrome
Teens Tourette Syndrome