CDC Releases First Statistics on Tourette’s Syndrome

The first statistics regarding the number of diagnosed cases of Tourette’s syndrome (TS) based on a national U.S. sample has been released by the CDC. Findings show that 3 out of every 1,000 children, ranging in age from six to seventeen, suffer from the neurological disorder. Tourette’s syndrome is usually characterized by repeated motor tics, such as jerking of the neck, limbs, facial movements, and also at least one vocal tic or blurting out of words repeatedly.

According to Rebecca Bitsko a health scientist with the CDC and co-author of the newly released report, “This is the first-ever estimate of Tourette syndrome from a nationally representative sample of U.S. children.” Researchers studied data gathered through phone interviews from nearly 92,000 households during a National Survey of Children’s Health conducted from April 2007 to July 2008. According to the CDC, 27 percent of the parents or guardians who were surveyed reported their children having moderate to severe cases of Tourette’s and 97 percent of the children also suffered from another mental health or neuron-development condition.

The study, “Prevalance of Diagnosed Tourette Syndrome in Children in the United States, 2007” was released in the June 5 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The study found that TS is three times more common in boys than girls and non-Hispanic white children were more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic black children or Hispanic children to have TS. Children from the ages of 12 to 17 have two times greater odds than children from 6 to 12 of being diagnosed with the condition. The condition usually reveals itself during childhood and is the most severe from the ages of 10 to 12, but seems to become less severe as children enter adulthood. Minority children, based on the study, seemed to be less at risk which could mean they are somehow protected against the condition. However, the odds are it is because these children are less likely to seek medical attention.

According to the CDC, children with TS suffer from tics which can involve jumping, twirling, hitting themselves or involuntary outburst of profanity, known as coprolalia which is less common. Some children suffer with less severe TS characterized by tics, such as mild blinking, sniffing or throat-clearing. According to Dr. Bitsko, “Tic disorders have been linked to higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and impairments associated with these conditions, such as learning disabilities and problems with peer relations,” which she says leads to the need for further studies.

The causes and factors that may lead to TS diagnoses aren’t completely understood. Because TS can affect children in many aspects of life, including school where the condition can cause embarrassment, and distracting interruptions, educators and communities need a better understanding of the condition and its affects.. Dr. Bitsko said, “Having an estimate of the number of U.S. children who are diagnosed with TS is a first step toward understanding the overall impact of this condition in the population.” She added, “Further research must examine differences in access to health care for children with TS in different population groups, the impact of TS on the quality of life, long term outcomes for children with TS, and strategies for reducing the impact of conditions associated with TS.”