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.
Le Petit Tourette
While shopping in a toy store, Cartman sees a boy named Thomas who continuously shouts obscenities, as his mother tries to explain that he has Tourette syndrome (TS). Cartman decides to pretend he has the disorder as well so he can get away with shouting obscenities himself, and successfully convinces his mother and a doctor, who diagnoses him with TS and notifies the school. When Kyle finds out about Cartman's "disorder", he immediately deduces that he is faking, which Cartman quickly admits to him. Nevertheless, Cartman continues to enjoy his newfound freedom. Kyle decides to complain to Principal Victoria, saying that Cartman is faking, but she misinterprets him as saying that all people with TS are faking. She sends Kyle to a local support group for children with the disorder, who explain their various tics and how they are not faking it. Kyle at first tries to defend his position, but realizing that Cartman was far too manipulative for anybody else to realize, he gives up and apologizes to the group. He visibly struggles when he has to apologize to Cartman, however, who continues to take advantage of his "disorder" by screaming vulgar anti-Semitic remarks at Kyle's parents. But when Cartman runs to Thomas and tells him, "Isn't having Tourette's awesome?" Thomas realizes Cartman is lying and faking.