COURSE OVERVIEW:

Tourette syndrome (sometimes called Tourette disorder) is named after Georges Gilles de la Tourette, a nineteenth century French physician. It is a relatively common disorder — up to 1 out of 100 Australians have more than one symptom, and millions more people worldwide have the disorder. Usually Tourette syndrome is discovered in children between the ages of five and eight, when tics generally first appear. More boys than girls develop the disorder.

Scientists believe Tourette syndrome may be caused by a combination of genetic (inherited from parents) and environmental sources. Symptoms include sudden, involuntary muscle movements called tics, including vocal tics. Symptoms range from mild to severe. Tourette syndrome can be a lifelong condition, but symptoms sometimes lessen as a young person becomes an adult.

Tourette syndrome is a disorder, not a disease. A person is diagnosed when he or she has a frequent pattern of physical or vocal tics. A specialist on Tourette syndrome defines it as “simply a multiple, changing pattern of tics, including at least one noisemaking tic.” The tics do not have to happen at the same time, but they must occur for at least twelve months in a row. Tourette syndrome could be diagnosed no matter how strong or mild the patients’ symptoms are.

Tics are experienced as a build-up of tension, are irresistible and eventually must be performed. Typically, tics increase as a result of tension or stress and decrease with relaxation or concentration on an absorbing task. TS symptoms have long been misconstrued as a sign of behavioural abnormality or "nervous habits", which they are not.

Tourette syndrome often is accompanied by other behavioural or emotional problems. For example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are very common. Learning difficulties, sleep abnormalities, depression and anxiety, impulse control and conduct problems also occur regularly.

Scientists do not know for sure what causes Tourette syndrome. However, it is clear that the disorder can run in families. Doctors once thought Tourette syndrome was so unlikely that they rarely diagnosed it.

There is no cure for TS; however, the condition in many individuals improves as they mature. Individuals with TS can expect to live a normal life span. Although TS is generally lifelong and chronic, it is not degenerative. In a few cases, complete remission occurs after adolescence.

This course will help you gain a good understanding of Tourette's Syndrome including the symptoms, causes, history, the psychiatric disorders most commonly associated with TS and some coping strategies for Tourette syndrome patients and their families.

The first part of this course starts by explaining what Tourette syndrome is and how TS is diagnosed. Then discusses the symptoms of Tourette syndrome including the motor tics and vocal tics. Then explains the Malignant Tourette Syndrome and the premonitions of tics. Then discusses whether the tics are completely involuntary. Then shows the history of Tourette syndrome from the early part of the nineteenth century up till today. Finally, discusses the causes of Tourette syndrome including: the genetic factors; the abnormalities in the chemistry of the brain and the relationship between the immune system and Tourette syndrome.

The second part starts by examining the psychiatric disorders most commonly associated with Tourette syndrome including: ADHD; OCD; depression; anxiety; learning difficulties; disruptive behaviour; substance abuse; sleeping problems; and the impact of the symptoms of these disorders on the severity of TS, as well as the treatment options available. Finally, discusses some coping strategies for Tourette syndrome patients and their families including: education of the parents and family; education of the Tourette syndrome child; counselling; education of teachers and changes in school accommodations; focusing on hobbies; coping with teasing and bullying.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• What Tourette Syndrome is?
• How TS is diagnosed?
• The symptoms of Tourette Syndrome?
• The Malignant Tourette Syndrome
• The motor tics associated with TS
• The vocal tics associated with TS
• The premonitions of tics
• Are tics completely involuntary?
• The history of Tourette Syndrome
• The causes of Tourette Syndrome
• The genetic factors
• The abnormalities in the chemistry of the brain
• The imaging the Tourette syndrome brain
• The immune system and Tourette syndrome
• The psychiatric disorders associated with Tourette Syndrome
• How Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is associated with TS?
• Why do Tourette syndrome and ADHD co-occur so frequently?
• How Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is associated with TS?
• The treatment of OCD in Tourette syndrome patients
• How depression is associated with TS?
• How anxiety is associated with TS?
• How learning difficulties are associated with TS?
• How disruptive behaviour is associated with TS?
• How substance abuse is associated with TS?
• How sleep problems is associated with TS?
• The coping strategies for Tourette syndrome patients and their families
• The importance of educating the parents and family
• The importance of educating the Tourette syndrome child
• The importance of counselling
• The importance of educating the teachers and the changes in school accommodations
• The importance of focusing on hobbies for the TS child
• How to cope with teasing and bullying?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.