Alice's wonder: Social aspects of tourette syndrome

Abstract

The paper focuses on exploring the psychosocial context and consequence of Tourette Syndrome for families with an affected member. Relevant resources and interventions are suggested. An Alice-in-Wonderland/Journey analogy is used to highlight and discuss these issues.

Tourette Syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder, characterised by involuntary motor and vocal tics.

The common tics are eyeblinking, body twitching and shoulder shrugging. The vocal tics are involuntary repetitive noises and utterances including throat clearing, grunting, yelling and compulsive swearing. Co-morbid symptomatology is common for the Tourette Syndrome sufferer and may include obsessive/compulsive disorder, panic disorder, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, hypersexuatity and learning difficulties. There may also be aggressive behaviour. The symptoms typically wax and wane throughout the sufferer's life.

The disorder is considered to be of genetic origin with the symptoms becoming apparent between the ages of two and eighteen years.

Tourette Syndrome is often undiagnosed and misunderstood by the sufferers, caregivers and the community at large.

Early diagnosis is vital if maximum benefit of treatment is to be achieved via pharmacological management and psychological and social intervention.

Approximately one in two thousand people are thought to suffer from Tourette Syndrome. It is probable that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was also a sufferer.