age of onset

Is there a typical age when Tourette syndrome is diagnosed and is it hereditary? My 12-year-old daughter has some very obvious  tics as well does my husband who has never been diagnosed.

[heyjude1]

I was 11 or 12 when I began to have signs. After reading this site I am learning kids as young as two years old have Tourettes.  My Tourettes only lasted a year old so, it was a mild case.  I wish the best for your daughter.

[Robin70]

Hi I know your post was from December and I am not sure you are still checking this site, but I felt the urge to respond to you. I can understand when you stated that your husband was never diagnosed. My tics started at about age 12 but at that time tourettes was not really heard of and many doctors told my parents that there was something psychological wrong with me. No doctor could ever give my parents a diagnosis. It wasn't unitl my daughter was about 2 and I started noticing her with the same symptoms. I did some research and realized I had tourettes that was never diagnosed and she to had it. At about at 6 I took her to a neurologist and told them she had tourette syndrome. They agreed. She was on medication that helped control the tics, but did not get rid of them completely. At age 12 she no longer wanted to take the medication and her tics did not seem to be as bad. Now she is 18 and her tics have gotten far worse. They are causing her severe headaches and she will be going back to the neurologist next week. I am not a doctor but can only speak from experience. The medications can have side effects so the best thing to do is find a neurologist who is very familiar with tourette syndrome and advise them that you believe your husband may also have it. It is said to be heridatary. Tourettes usually gets better or involves less tics as you get older (I don't believe it ever goes away completely). I can tell you that I advise my daughter to find something to focus on when she gets stressed out (something relaxing) and not think about her tics. The more you think about them, the more you tic. Good luck with your daughter. I know by encouraging my daughter her entire life, her tourettes have not affected her social life nor her school work.

[Coachjamee]

I have four children.  Three draughters and a son.  My first daughter was one, my second was 6, my third daughter was 6 months old when they started having tics.  My son is 19 months old and I believe he has a screaming tic now.  It is not typical for kids to express tics this early.  Most kids are diagnosed between 3rd and 4th grade, but they would have to have both vocal tics and motor tics for at least one year prior.  My kids are  now 14 yrs, 10 yrs, 7yrs, and 19 months old.  All three older girls have been diagnosed.  My third daughter was diagnosed at 3 1/2 yrs old, my oldest at 8 yrs old, and my middle daughter at 9 yrs old.  My son has not been diagnosed yet.   He doesn't seem to have motor tics yet, but it sounds like he has had a few vocal tics already.  I'm just at the observing phase with him.  I know what to look for so when he does tic it is very obvious to me.  I think I may have had a very mild form of TS but was never diagnosed.  My OCD and anxiety have increased with age.  I realize after seeing my daughter have a sensory disorder, as well, that I have a similar sensory issue myself.  I recall doing very few tics as a child, but I remember them enough to know they were there.  Also my half sisters 5 yr old son has TS too.  And my cousins son has autism.  My uncle used to have tics and still as a 61 year old man had ADD and depression.  The tics went away in childhood but the other comorbid disorders stayed, which is typical for someone w TS.  And he was never diagnosed.  Good luck!