Treatment of Tourette syndrome
There is no cure for Tourette's and no medication which works universally for all individuals without significant adverse effects; knowledge and understanding are the best treatments available for tics. Management of the symptoms of Tourette's may include pharmacological, behavioral and psychological therapies. While pharmacological treatment is reserved for more severe symptoms, other types of treatments may help avoid or improve symptoms of depression or social isolation, and improve supportive family functioning. Educating the patient, family, and surrounding community (school, church, friends, etc.) is a key part of treatment.
Tourette syndrome
Not everyone with Tourette's wants treatment or a "cure", especially if that means they may "lose" something else in the process. Researchers Leckman and Cohen, and former US Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) national board member Kathryn Taubert, believe that there may be latent advantages associated with an individual's genetic vulnerability to developing Tourette syndrome, such as a heightened awareness and increased attention to detail and surroundings that may have adaptive value. There is evidence to support the clinical lore that children with "TS-only" (Tourette's in the absence of comorbid conditions) are unusually gifted: neuropsychological studies have identified advantages in children with TS-only. Children with TS-only are faster than the average for their age group on timed tests of motor coordination.
Notable individuals with Tourette syndrome are found in all walks of life, including musicians, athletes, media figures, teachers, physicians, and authors. The best-known example of a person who may have used obsessive–compulsive traits to advantage is Samuel Johnson, the 18th-century English man of letters, who likely had Tourette syndrome as evidenced by the writings of James Boswell. Johnson wrote "A Dictionary of the English Language" in 1747, and was a prolific writer, poet, and critic. Tim Howard, described by the "Chicago Tribune" as the "rarest of creatures – an American soccer hero" and by the TSA as the "most notable individual with Tourette Syndrome around the world" says that his neurological makeup gave him an enhanced perception and an ability to hyper-focus that contributed to his success on the field.