Tourettes Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome

Learning intention

I am learning what tourette syndrome is so that I can be understanding towards people who have it.

Please be sensitive when doing this lesson. 

This is a real condition that affects many people, including students at this school!

What do you already know about tourette syndrome?

What is tourette syndrome?

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary tics, or movements and sounds, that people can't control. 

Tics

Tourette syndrome is the most widely known tic disorder. Tics are movements (motor tics) or sounds (phonic tics), but they are always involuntary, sudden, and not goal-directed like voluntary movements or the voluntary emission of words and sounds.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of tourette syndrome include blinking, coughing, throat clearing, sniffing, facial grimacing, jaw movements, head bobbing or jerking, shoulder shrugging, neck stretching, and arm jerking.

What is a common symptom of TS?

1. Hearing loss
2. Memory loss
3. Color blindness
4. Facial grimacing

Which of the following are tics?

1. Reading and writing
2. Blinking and coughing
3. Eating and sleeping
4. Walking and talking

What type of disorder is Tourette syndrome?

1. Psychological disorder
2. Muscle disorder
3. Neurological disorder
4. Vision disorder

Which of the following is NOT a symptom of tourette syndrome?

1. jaw movements
2. blinking
3. phonic tics
4. smiling

How did watching the videos make you feel?

Can people with tourette syndrome control their tics?

Yes

No

Not sure

What difficulties do you think people with tourette syndrome face daily?

How can you support a person with tourette syndrome?

• Don't stare!
•  While having a conversation, try to pretend your friend’s tics aren’t there
• Be patient
• Don’t try to fix them
• Look for signs of distress and offer subtle help
• Don’t joke about it!
• Don’t tell your friend that they are being rude or making a scene