Tourettes By Riley Shannon and John Kresovich

Description It is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. There are two types of tic classifications called simple and complex tic ◦Simple tics are sudden and brief that involve a limited number of muscle groups ◦Complex Tics are distinct, coordinated patterns of movement that involve several muscle groups

Background of patient Marty Cooper is a 7 year old boy who lives in New York with his family. He has a sister who is 9 years old and a brother who is 14 years old. He has recently had some behavioral problems at school and has been acting different around the house. His parents were worried about him so they took him to a doctor to see what was going on. The doctor had diagnosed him with tourettes because of the symptoms he was showing.

Symptoms Marty had showed the following symptoms prior to being taken to a doctor ◦Throat clearing ◦Yelling ◦Making animal noises ◦Mouth twitches ◦Involuntary use of swear words ◦Copying what others do ◦Saying inappropriate or rude comments ◦Kicking

Regions of Brain Affected The doctor had said that a certain region in Martys brain was affected ◦The Frontal Lobe ◦The Basal Ganglia- Islands of grey matter in the core of the brain which are important for accurate control of movement

Diagnosis Tests Done There are no specific tests that can diagnose tourettes Doctors must rely on symptoms to diagnose the disorder Tourettes is not diagnosed until tics have been present for 12 months and doctors have taken notes about what happens at home and school

Treatments The doctor had told Martys parents some treatments they could do to try and control his tourettes and tics  The doctor can provide medication to the patients  Exercises can be done  Relaxation Therapy can control stress  Behavior treatments can be used to help the patient control tics

Prognosis There is no cure for tourettes, but over time the condition of people improve in late teens to early 20’s Some people may become symptom free and no longer have to be on medication People with tourettes have a normal life expectancy

Error in Communication A Dysfunction of their neurotransmitters- the chemicals that neurons use to communicate with each other

Two Biomedical Professions Behavioral Therapist ◦Education Requirements are masters degree in psychology or consulting ◦They focus on helping clients eliminate objectionable behavior and replace it with acceptable behavior ◦This can help the patient by people with tourettes can see a behavioral therapist to help manage their tics. It can help reduce the severity and impact of tics.

Two Biomedical Professions cont. Psychologist ◦Job Description- They work with patients and use techniques to make positive changes to their patients life. They work with clients all ages on a variety of different mental or physical health problems. ◦Education Requirements- Becoming a psychologist usually requires a doctoral degree ◦People with tourettes can see a psychologist to help with stress, and to learn relaxation techniques to control tics

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