fbpx

KidsKonnect

Tourette Syndrome Facts & Worksheets

Tourette Syndrome is a condition where people have sudden movements or sounds they cannot control, called tics. These tics might be slight, like blinking or throat clearing. They can also be distinct, like jumping or shouting. They usually start when the affected individual is a child and can last into adulthood.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Science /Health /Tourette Syndrome Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Tourette Syndrome is a condition where people have sudden movements or sounds they cannot control, called tics. These tics might be slight, like blinking or throat clearing. They can also be distinct, like jumping or shouting. They usually start when the affected individual is a child and can last into adulthood. Most people with Tourette’s have tics that come and go. Some might have tics that happen a lot, particularly when stressed or tired. Tourette Awareness Month is held from May 15 to June 15 annually.

See the fact file below for more information about Tourette Syndrome, or you can download our 24-page Tourette Syndrome worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

OVERVIEW

  • Tourette syndrome, often shortened to TS or Tourette’s, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that usually starts when the affected individual is a kid or a teenager.
  • With TS, a person could have a bunch of movements they cannot control, called motor tics, or one involuntary sound, called a vocal tic.
  • Tourette’s is on the more serious side of a range of tic disorders, but a lot of times, people don’t even notice someone has it because the tics can be pretty subtle.

HISTORY

  • In 1825, a French doctor named Jean Marc Gaspard Itard first reported Tourette syndrome after studying the Marquise de Dampierre.
  • Tourette syndrome got its name from a French doctor, Jean-Martin Charcot, who named it after one of his interns, Georges Gilles de la Tourette.
  • In 1885, Georges wrote about nine people with this condition that made them have sudden, uncontrollable movements and sounds.
  • For a long time, people thought Tourette’s was mainly in the mind and didn’t understand it well. 
  • But in the 20th century, when there was an outbreak of Encephalitis lethargica, a disease that caused tics, they started to think there might be some underlying physical factors.
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, when doctors found a medicine called haloperidol that helped with tics, they realized Tourette’s was not just about mental issues.
  • In 1975, The New York Times linked Tourette’s bizarre symptoms to a chemical brain disorder.
  • People used to think individuals with Tourette’s would only shout out bad words, but that has since been disproven.
  • Nowadays, we know Tourette’s is not as rare as we once thought.
  • About 1% of children and teenagers probably have it.

SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS

  • Tourette’s syndrome is when a person’s body does things they can’t control, like movements and sounds called tics.
  • A person might blink a lot, clear their throat, or even make noises without meaning to.
  • Before a tic happens, they might feel a strange urge, but they cannot stop it.
  • To get diagnosed with Tourette’s, doctors look for particular signs. 
  • First, the person needs to have both motor tics, like moving their arms or shoulders, and vocal tics, which means making sounds with their voice.
  • These tics need to happen often, usually for at least a year, for a doctor to conclude that the person has Tourette’s.
  • Also, the symptoms cannot be a result of medicine or other health issues.
  • Because many people have mild symptoms that get better as they get older, they might never get diagnosed.
  • Tourette’s is just one kind of tic disorder.
  • The tics might change over time.
  • Some people have milder tics that are not as noticeable, while others might have really intense tics that happen a lot.
  • One day, a person might blink a lot, and the next, they might clear their throat more.
  • Before someone with Tourette’s makes a tic, they often feel a strange sensation called a “premonitory urge.”
  • This feeling comes right before the tic and can make it possible for some people to stop the tic from happening.
  • Some people are better at stopping their tics than others, and adults might be better at it than children.
  • Trying to stop a tic can make someone feel tense or worn out.

COMPLEX TICS

  • Some tics are more complicated and involve speech.
  • One example is coprolalia, where someone says rude or taboo words without intending to.
  • Only a small number of people with Tourette’s have it.
  • Other speech-related tics include echolalia, where someone repeats what others say, and palilalia, where someone repeats their own words.
  • There are also complex motor tics, like copropraxia, where someone makes rude gestures or touches themselves inappropriately.
  • Some people might repeat actions they see others doing (called echopraxia) or repeat their own movements (called palipraxia).

PREVALENCE AND DEMOGRAPHICS

  • Tourette’s is more common in boys than girls, with about three to four times as many boys having it.
  • TS is often seen more in children than adults because the tics can lessen as people get older.
  • Up to 1% of people may experience tic disorders, with about 5% of kids having long-lasting tics and up to 20% having temporary ones.
  • There might be differences between boys and girls in how TS shows up and how it’s treated, but more research is needed to fully understand these differences.

CAUSES

  • The exact cause of Tourette’s is not known for sure, but we do know that both genes and the environment play a part.
  • Studies on families have shown that Tourette’s can run in families.
  • However, it is not as simple as just one gene causing it.
  • Researchers have looked at the genetic makeup of people with Tourette’s but haven’t found one specific gene responsible.

TREATMENT OPTIONS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

  • Tourette’s doesn’t have a cure, and there is no one-size-fits-all medicine.
  • Treatment focuses on helping people manage the symptoms that bother them the most.
  • Often, dealing with other problems that come along with Tourette’s, like anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), is more important than treating the tics themselves.
  • For many people, just learning about Tourette’s and getting support from others can be enough.
  • Sometimes, a wait-and-see approach is okay if the tics are not causing significant problems.
  • If treatment is needed, it might include therapy to help change behaviors, like Habit Reversal Training (HRT) or exposure and response prevention (ERP).
  • Relaxation techniques like exercise or yoga can also help manage stress, which can make tics worse.
  • There are various kinds of medicines available to help with tics, such as typical and atypical neuroleptics. 
  • However, these can cause both short-term and long-term side effects. 
  • Doctors usually start with medications like clonidine or guanfacine for children because they can also help with ADHD symptoms.
  • If these medicines don’t work, doctors might try medications like risperidone or aripiprazole, especially for adults.

Tourette Syndrome Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Tourette Syndrome across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Tourette Syndrome. Most people with Tourette’s have tics that come and go. Some might have tics that happen a lot, particularly when stressed or tired. Tourette Awareness Month is held from May 15 to June 15 annually.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Tourette Syndrome Facts
  2. Tourette or False?
  3. Symptom Definition
  4. Motor or Vocal?
  5. Tourette’s Timeline
  6. Case Study
  7. Brainstorm Session
  8. Treatment Options
  9. Celebs with TS
  10. Impact on Daily Life
  11. Positive PSA

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tourette syndrome?

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. These can range from mild to severe and often begin in childhood, typically between the ages of 5 and 10.

What causes Tourette syndrome?

The exact cause of Tourette syndrome is unknown, but it’s believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. There may be abnormalities in certain brain regions and neurotransmitter systems, such as dopamine, which play a role in motor control.

What are the symptoms of Tourette syndrome?

The primary symptoms of Tourette syndrome are motor tics (sudden, repetitive movements) and vocal tics (uncontrollable sounds or words). Motor tics can include eye blinking, head jerking, shoulder shrugging, and facial grimacing, while vocal tics may involve throat clearing, grunting, or even blurting out inappropriate words (coprolalia), though this is less common.

How is Tourette syndrome diagnosed?

Tourette syndrome is diagnosed based on the presence of both motor and vocal tics that have persisted for at least one year. There is no specific test for Tourette syndrome, so diagnosis is typically made based on the patient’s medical history, observation of symptoms, and ruling out other possible causes of tics.

Can Tourette syndrome be treated?

While there is no cure for Tourette syndrome, treatment options are available to help manage symptoms. These may include behavioral therapy, such as habit reversal training, and medications to reduce the frequency and severity of tics. In some cases, tics may decrease or even disappear over time, particularly in adulthood.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Tourette Syndrome Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 17, 2024

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources