Social Functioning, AD/HD and Tourette's Syndrome

Social Functioning, ADHD and TS

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Last Update 10/08/07

Tourette Syndrome—Now What?
Raising awareness about the full spectrum of Tourette's disorder, with support and accurate information based on the latest research.
TSNW • TSNowWhat • TouretteNowWhat • Tourette Syndrome Now What?

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This article discusses the social and emotional impact on children and families with Tourette's syndrome, and explains that tic severity is not associated with dysfunction in social, behavioral or emotional functioning among children with Tourette's disorder. However, the results highlight the importance of treating comorbid AD/HD in cases when it is present, as social and behavioral dysfunction in children with Tourette's is specific to comorbid AD/HD. Family functioning is an important factor in adjustment to Tourette's, with or without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Excerpts from :

Social and emotional adjustment in children affected with Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome: associations with ADHD and family functioning. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2000 Feb;41(2):215-23 (ISSN: 0021-9630), Carter AS; O'Donnell DA; Schultz RT; Scahill L; Leckman JF; Pauls DL

"This study examined social-emotional functioning in children with Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (TS) alone and children with TS and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In addition, the contribution of family functioning to social competence was examined ...

... Children with TS and ADHD evidenced more externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and poorer social adaptation than children with TS only or unaffected controls.

... Tic symptom severity was not associated with social, behavioral, or emotional functioning among children with TS, even after stratifying by medication status. However, ADHD diagnosis, obsessional symptom severity, and family functioning were significantly associated with social and emotional adjustment among TS children. Moreover, family functioning was associated with social and emotional adjustment even after controlling for TS and ADHD diagnostic status.

... These findings demonstrate that much of the social and behavioral dysfunction in children with TS is ADHD-specific and children with TS alone have a very different social-emotional profile than do those with TS plus ADHD."

Back to TS Links

(Just a note: this website was designed for newcomers to Tourette's syndrome, to be read through in page order.
You can browse the pages in the order you desire, but if you're new to Tourette syndrome,
you may get a better overview by reading through the pages in order, by clicking on the Next Page links throughout.)

Strengths and advantages associated with Tourette's syndrome
Medical literature supports the common lore that children with Tourette syndrome have uncommon gifts.

Growing up with Tourette's Syndrome: Information for Kids
A new website about Tourette syndrome, with information targeted to ages 5–8, ages 9–13, and a section for parents.

HBO Documentary on Tourette's Syndrome
I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me
Video clips of Tourette's syndrome HBO Documentary

First Five Things to Do After Your Child Is Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome
I may not agree with all of them, but # 1 is interesting.

Tourette Syndrome Research Article Summary

Controversy, myth, and inaccurate information about Tourette syndrome
Dr. Phil on Tourette's syndrome and Asperger's syndrome: "Extreme Disorders" and brain imaging
Dr. Laura Schlessinger on Tourette's
David Comings, M.D. - Hope Press - The Gene Bomb
Inaccurate definition of Tourette's Syndrome by Joseph Jankovic, M.D. in the New England Journal of Medicine
Deep Brain Stimulation, Tourette's Syndrome, and "Miracle Workers"

Disclaimer - Just a Mom !
I am not a medical person and am not qualified to give medical advice.
Please discuss your treatment with your personal physician.
PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT affiliated with another Tourette's website which uses the tourettenowwhat name!
(Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Or another webmaster trick to derive traffic from my name?)

A word about spelling
The official name of the condition, according to the DSM-IV-TR, 307.23, is Tourette's disorder.
Tourette's is also referred to as TS, Tourette Syndrome, Tourette's syndrome, GTS, and Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome.
Common misspellings are tourettes syndrome, tourretts, tourrettes, touretts, terrets, terets, turettes, turetts, turets, turetes and turrets syndrom.
Tourette's disease is a common misnomer (it's not a disease).
Tick is a common misspelling: ticks are nasty critters that suck blood from dogs and people. People with Tourette's disorder have tics.