Tourette syndrome: an analysis of 200 pediatric and adolescent cases

ABSTRACT

The clinical profiles of 200 children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome are reviewed. The mean age of onset was 6.3 years, and the mean lag between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 4.5 years. Thirty-seven percent of these patients had another family member with a tic disorder. A strikingly large number (58%) of these children had learning problems, behavioral problems, or both. These problems often caused more difficulties in everyday living than the tics and noises themselves. It is not sufficient simply to diagnose this complex disorder. These patients and their families require both help and understanding in dealing with the tics and noises as well as the associated behavioral and learning difficulties.