Tourette Syndrome Terms You Should Know

June is Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month.

According to the Tourette Association of America, tics are involuntary, repetitive movement and vocalizations. They are the defining feature of a group of childhood-onset, neurodevelopmental conditions known collectively as Tic disorders and individually as Tourette Syndrome.

Tics are common in childhood. The estimated prevalence of Tourette Syndrome disorder range from 3 to 8 per, 1,000 in school-aged children. Males are more commonly affected than females. Some people may have tic-free periods of weeks to months.

The following are terms related to Tourette Syndrome Disorder:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)– a neurological disorder characterized by a pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that disrupts functioning in both children and adults The DSM-V defines ADHD as a persistent pattern of attention and or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning of development.

Coprolalia– associated with socially inappropriate words that are derogatory and obscene. It is rare and only impacts 10% of people with Tourette syndrome and is not used to diagnose the syndrome.

Co-Morbidity- the presence of one or more additional conditions occurring with a primary condition.

Echolalia-is characterized as the repetition of words that may be immediate or delayed after the original words are spoken.

Gilles de la Tourette– First person to publish an account in describing a person with “convulsing tic disorder.”

Motor Tics– caused by a movement.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD)- is defined as a disorder that includes two core symptoms- obsessions and compulsions. According to the Census for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obsessions are defined by: Thoughts, impulses, or images that occur over and over again. These thoughts, impulses or images are unwanted. They cause a lot of anxiety and stress.

Palilalia– involuntary repetition of words, phrases or sentences.

Simple Moto Tics– sudden movements including eye blinking, head shaking, shoulder shrugging or arm jerking. Tends to be brief.

Simple Phonic Tics– sudden sounds including sniffing, coughing, throat clearing and grunting.

Tics- movements or sounds that are unpredictable.

Tourette Syndrome-involuntary, repetitive movement and vocalizations. They are the defining feature of a group of childhood-onset, neurodevelopmental conditions known collectively as Tic disorders and individually as Tourette Syndrome

Involuntary– done without conscious control.

Vocal/ Phonic Tics- tics that produce a sound.

What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

 

Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is defined as a disorder that includes two core symptoms- obsessions and compulsions. According to the Census for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obsessions are defined by:

  • Thoughts, impulses, or images that occur over and over again. These thoughts, impulses or images are unwanted. They cause a lot of anxiety and stress.
  • The person who has these thoughts, impulses or images tries to ignore them or tries to make them go away.

Compulsions are defined as:

  • Repeated behaviors or thoughts over and over again or according to certain rules that must be followed exactly in order to make an obsession go away.
  • The person feels that the purpose of the behaviors or thoughts is to prevent or reduce distress or prevent some feared event or situation.

Facts and Statistics- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is defined as a disorder that includes two core symptoms- obsessions and compulsions. According to the Census for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obsessions are defined by:

  • Thoughts, impulses, or images that occur over and over again. These thoughts, impulses or images are unwanted. They cause a lot of anxiety and stress.
  • The person who has these thoughts, impulses or images tries to ignore them or tries to make them go away.

Compulsions are defined as:

  • Repeated behaviors or thoughts over and over again or according to certain rules that must be followed exactly in order to make an obsession go away.
  • The person feels that the purpose of the behaviors or thoughts is to prevent or reduce distress or prevent some feared event or situation.

The following are facts and statistics on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

  • 1.2% of U.S. adults had OCD in the past year.
  • OCD was higher for females (1.8%) than males (0.5%).
  • Among adults with OCD, approximately one half (50.6%) had serious impairment
  • 34.8% of adults with OCD had moderate impairment
  • 14.6% had mild impairment.
  • OCD affects 2.2 million adults
  • The average onset is 19 with 25% of cases occurring by age 14
  • One-third of affected adults first experience symptoms in childhood
  •  17% of autistic people may specifically have OCD
  • Because of similar characteristics, it is often overlooked
  • It affects people of all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds
  • OCD is one of the top 20 causes of illness-related disability worldwide for individuals between 15 and 44 years of age
  • 1 in 40 adults are affected.
  • 1 in 100 children are affected
  • Other conditions may co-exist with OCD including anxiety, bipolar, ADHD, autism spectrum, Tourette syndrome, and major depressive disorder.
  • Worldwide, OCD is approximately 2% of the general population
  • OCD ranks 10th place among all diseases
  •  1 in every 200 children has the disorder 60 to 70% of OCD children improve significantly with therapy.
  • Many people still hide their OCD behaviors.
Beyond OCD.org
Healthy Place.org
National Institute of Mental Health

What is Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

OCD is a neurobiological condition. It is estimated that 1% to 3% of children and adolescents are affected by obsession- compulsive disorder (OCD).The DSM-IV defines OCD as persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as inappropriate and the cause of anxiety and distress. These thoughts cause obsession as a way to ease their anxiety. Your child may perform repetitive actions such as chewing food a certain number of times, refusing to eat certain foods, separation anxiety or a need for order and perfection

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Infographic

 

 

 

Autism and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Similar But Different

little girl playing with hands
Source: (Very Well)
Author: Lisa Jo Rudy

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often misunderstood to be a condition in which individuals have a strong desire for order and repetition, or an intense focus on details. As a result, many people believe that autistic behaviors and preferences are a sign of OCD.  But autistic behaviors such as rocking or flicking fingers — or a desire for a structured routine — are actually quite distinct from the very specific qualities of OCD. Click here to read the rest of the story