sheuk Report post Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) Hi, I don't know anyone with Tourettes and I'm ashamed to say I don't know very much about the condition, only what I've seen on television so I have a couple of questions: The first is, from what I've seen on television people with tourettes have a uncontrolable tendancy to shout things out, on television these are always swear words---is this so or might someone with tourettes shout ''Apple'' for example? The second question really relates to the first, if people with tourettes do only shout swear words then why?---not why do they shout, I understand that's part of the condition but why swear words? Edited February 8, 2010 by sheuk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted February 8, 2010 Hi, I don't know anyone with Tourettes and I'm ashamed to say I don't know very much about the condition, only what I've seen on television so I have a couple of questions: The first is, from what I've seen on television people with tourettes have a uncontrolable tendancy to shout things out, on television these are always swear words---is this so or might someone with tourettes shout ''Apple'' for example? The second question really relates to the first, if people with tourettes do only shout swear words then why?---not why do they shout, I understand that's part of the condition but why swear words? About 15% of tourettics swear. i think the diagnosis is based on so many vocal tics and so many motor tics. Their ability to control what they are saying is diminished, so they think "mustnt say x" and they end up saying "x". Alexis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Meethoss Report post Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) About 15% of tourettics swear. i think the diagnosis is based on so many vocal tics and so many motor tics. Their ability to control what they are saying is diminished, so they think "mustnt say x" and they end up saying "x". Alexis Well put! I was gonna comment when I first read [the question] but I don't really have anything to add. Edited February 8, 2010 by Meethoss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sheuk Report post Posted February 8, 2010 ahh I understand now, thanks I hate not knowing things Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmuir Report post Posted February 9, 2010 Hi My son has AS and my uncle has Tourettes. He basically makes sudden involuntary noises (yelping, sniffing, coughing, etc) and movements (eye blinking, head jerking, facial grimacing, hitting himself, jumping, etc). I guess in simplistic terms it's faulty wiring in the brain. There are different types of Tourettes which vary as listed on the following website: http://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/about-tourette-syndrome/ Caroline. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chris54 Report post Posted February 9, 2010 About 15% of tourettics swear. i think the diagnosis is based on so many vocal tics and so many motor tics. Their ability to control what they are saying is diminished, so they think "mustnt say x" and they end up saying "x". Alexis Going off the subject a bit, you should always try to give children, anyone, positive instructions and avoid negative instructions when ever you can. "Stay on the pavement" instead of "Don't go in the road" is a good example. By being told what you must not do puts the thought in your head when maybe it was not there in the first place. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sally44 Report post Posted February 9, 2010 Going off the subject a bit, you should always try to give children, anyone, positive instructions and avoid negative instructions when ever you can. "Stay on the pavement" instead of "Don't go in the road" is a good example. By being told what you must not do puts the thought in your head when maybe it was not there in the first place. We were told something very similar at an NAS seminar a couple of years ago. A parent was asking about her child that was a 'runner', and the woman said, "don't say to him 'don't run', because he may only hear 'run' and do it - instead say 'walk'". Don't know how much it worked though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted February 9, 2010 Swearing is not particularly common in Tourettes. It often seems to be to do with things that are inappropriate. In a TV programme I watched, a girl with Tourettes shouted racial abuse and felt really awful about it because she knew that the things she was saying were really bad but she just couldn't stop herself. I know a man with Tourettes who is frightened every time he goes on a plane that he will shout, "I've got a bomb!" A friend of mine with Tourettes calls out place names. If you're driving along he reads out all the place names from the road signs. I remember once, waiting with him in a train station, and it got quite bad and a lot of people were staring at him, I'm sure he would have stopped if he possibly could have! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
purplehaze Report post Posted February 9, 2010 [quote the woman said, "don't say to him 'don't run', because he may only hear 'run' and do it - instead say 'walk'". Don't know how much it worked though Sally this does work-I work in a pre-school with a mix of mainstream, autism, physical disabilities etc and it's right that some children hear the word run and run so you say walk!!! Also I know an adult (who has actually just wrote a book about his life) who has tourettes and he did swear and had a lot of ticks, my son goes to school with a boy who has it and he shouts lines from films!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
julie1 Report post Posted February 9, 2010 my husband has this but not diagnoised he makes a noise everytime he trys to talk like he is clearing his throat, but it is constant he has tryed to stop but im sure he doesnt know how to stop it, or that he is even doing it. It is very anoying to me and i wish he would go too the doctors about it but he just wont. He also bangs his teeth together i can hear him upstairs and i know when he is going to talk way before he even knows. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted February 9, 2010 My DS has what his consultant described as borderline Tourettes, which only really explodes when he is under acute stress. Normally, he just has a few facial tics. When he had a severe breakdown he did develop verbal tics too, but no swear words...he made 'wale music' sounds, and would shout out 'monkey' or 'cheesecake'. His motor tics were very pronounced too, mainly one arm shooting up in the air. HTH Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted February 10, 2010 We were told something very similar at an NAS seminar a couple of years ago. A parent was asking about her child that was a 'runner', and the woman said, "don't say to him 'don't run', because he may only hear 'run' and do it - instead say 'walk'". Don't know how much it worked though This works for adults as well. i tend to get confused by negative instructions. Also make the specific, if im told "dont do that" im wondering what im supposed to be doing wrong. Alexis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cariad Report post Posted February 10, 2010 T has Tourettes amongst other things. He sniffs, throat clears and swears, the "hitting the car window" is my favourite. It's hard work when bunched up with all the other SN he has. We try to ignore it, my dad had it as he would blurt out strange sentences/words when in public. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joybed Report post Posted February 11, 2010 Trying to decide whether to get Marcus assessed for this he has always shouted out strange words and grimaced a lot as well as hand flapping and biting himself. This has got worse in the last few years, he tends to shout poo a lot but also makes a strange vocailsation as well half way between a scream and a low moan difficult to describe. School have said this is becoming an increasing problem and is very disruptive for the class. I spoke to his consultant when there with Piers the other day and he said to get my GP to refer to a paed neurologist. I have always assumed it is part ASD and part done to annoy us as he does it most frequently when at home and school both times when he is anxious but now not so sure. The ASD team say get him assessed at least to rule it out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites