tourette’s syndrome (TS) is commonly described as a nervous system disorder involving repetitive movements or unwanted sounds, typically starting in childhood. while this is a good general description, it is important to understand that TS looks different among different people.
some common symptoms of TS include excessive and involuntary blinking, twitching, head jerking, throat clearing, and repeating other people’s words (echolalia). many children with TS have other conditions, including concentration problems, ADHD, anxiety or depression, OCD, or behavioral issues. however, it is extremely important to understand that not every person with tourette’s has the same symptoms and each symptom can be experienced in different severities. I would encourage further research for a deeper understanding, using the sources listed in this article as a starting point. some people with TS may uncontrollably swear (coprolalia) or make obscene gestures (copropraxia). while these symptoms, especially uncontrollable swearing, are frequently associated with TS, they are actually uncommon.
tourette’s syndrome has different types:
motor tics - movements of the body, including blinking, shoulder shrugging, or arm jerking
vocal tics - sounds made, such as humming, throat clearing, or yelling
simple tics - involve just a few body parts, such as eye squinting or sniffing
complex tics - involve several different body parts and/or tics in certain patterns
the first symptoms are often experienced between 5 and 10 years of age and are typically motor tis involving head and neck muscles. these may later progress to include muscles throughout the body and lead to the development of vocal tics. typically, tics lessen and become more controllable around late teens to early 20s. however, tics vary person to person and may pass or be lifelong.
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