For Patients & Families Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an often-
misunderstood neuropsychiatric disorder that occurs more often
in males and affects four to five children per 10,000 (although
some studies report rates as high as 3% of the population).
Because most cases of TS are mild and do not come to medical
attention, or are often unrecognized and misdiagnosed,
prevalence rates have been difficult to determine. Diagnosis and
Classification Tics are defined as sudden, repetitive,
stereotyped movements and vocalizations and are generally
classified as simple (those that are rapid and appear to have no
purpose) or complex (slower, more orchestrated, and appearing as
if they might have some purpose). Diagnoses of tic disorders are
based on history and clinical presentation; there is no
diagnostic test. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), a diagnosis
of Chronic Motor Tic Disorder is made if the individual has had
motor tics for over a period of one year. L