Life's a Twitch - Dr. B. Duncan McKinlay (Archives

Question 101: Hey remember me R., from the tourrette presentation and the tourrette group? So, are you planning to make Canada’s second tourrette clinic? Tourrette’s hasn’t even gotten around to Microsoft; I checked the spelling and grammar (If I spelled it wrong, cause it’s underlined by red) and no Tourrette’s! You should get them to put it in there dictionary, because “YOU HAVE THE POWER”, lol (lots of laughs). My Tourrette’s recently slowed down, but then it went speedy again, it’s weird. My Tourrette’s are barely noticeable, what’s it like to have a vocal tick? I just have movement tick’s, no vocal’s. The weird thing is my tick’s came from throat infection’s, then once we removed my Tonsil’s it started about a month or two after. I just don’t understand how that could give me Tourrette’s. We’ll type back soon C,yah!!! R.P., MB, Canada.

Question 83: I am a mental health worker and work with mentally ill parolees in a residential facility. We recently had the displeasure of working with an inmate that had verbal flare ups that "appeared" to flare up in only convenient opportunites. For example - if we caught him breaking rules or bringing in contriband and or using drugs etc and tried to police his behaviors - which he attributes to his tourettes - he also would have verbalized bouts and swear very specifically - such as with our female staff - Fat F#cking b*tch. OR myself (a gay male ) f#cking faggot - repeatitvely. If a black person were to walk by then it would be fucking N*gger. So I have tried to reinforce that this is NOT tourettes but a selective inappropriate behavior. I firmly believe that we were conned - despite a psych nurse that takes his side and feels we are just personalizing his illness. Please set us straight one way or another....our staff are at the end of our ropes. What do you think? C., AB, Canada.

Question 65: I just saw the documentary about you tonight on TVO, and was deeply moved. My husband's....insistence that he has "some Tourette's probably" got me thinking. He suffered as a child and teenager from social inadequacy, and claims (now that he saw the show) that he often has impulses to "yell out loud" or "smash his fist on something--without anger" but he has always repressed them and succeeds. I, of course, am suspicious, and suspect he has completely controllable "tics"--his eye twitches when stressed, but not much more is obvious to me, and he claims that he "lets go with the tic, controllably" to relieve tension. Aren't these urges hard to control, if it is truly Tourette's? But more importantly, as a sometime student of neurophysiology, I wonder if there is such a thing as "partial Tourette's", like the theory that there may be partial schizophrenia, for example. G.G. ON, Canada.

Question 66: Hello there my name is A., I'm a 17 yr. old student in Australia who has recently been diagnosed with TS....It has been rumoured that Mozart had tourette syndrome, I wonder could this have been the source of his creative genius....What evidence is there, if any of a link between TS and creativity?. The other question I want to ask you is, what is a mental tic. Would echolalia be an example of a mental tic? Maybe all mental illnesses are a form of tic disorder? A.A., Australia.

Question 60: HI, I'M 19 AND HAVE TOURETTE'S. MY MOST DISTURBING SYMPTOM IS MENTAL COPRALALIA. USUALLY MY OTHER SYMPTOMS ONLY FLARE UP WHEN THIS GOES OFF AND WHEN IT'S BAD I FREEZE UP UNTIL I GET OVER THAT EPISODE. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND MUCH ON THIS SYMPTOM AND I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS. THANKS, J.W. OH. USA.

Question 58: Hello, I am M. I'm 10 ten years old. I have TS. How long does TS last? ON, Canada.

Question 41: what was the easiest way to get Dx, without the doc missing the Tourettes? [Also] You have said that TS is like having a little kid in your head that copy and repeats movements which ends up being tics. Does this apply to verbal/phonic tics? I can see how complex phonic tics could be like that. But I can't see how this works with simple phonic tics. R.J., CA, USA.

Question 30: It is not uncommon for TS children (even adults) to be sexually inappropriate, perhaps intrusive and not complying with the cultural/societal norms. How does one address this in an in-service since the question has popped up? More importantly, how does one handle this behaviour to extinguish it? With some young children it seems to extinguish fairly quickly with talking and substitution training for in public. For others whom are at the age when this can be viewed as deviant, criminal behaviour--Young Offenders 12+ and age of sexual consent 14 years--what suggestions for working with these young people. Some of them are hypersexual....so some management issues need to be addressed. K.T., BC, Canada.

Question 29: My son is almost 7 and has been diagnosed with TS. The doctor says now he does not need medication. He has "mild TS". What is considered "mild". Also, how common is TS? And what are his chances of out growing it? N.W., ON, Canada.

Question 26: hey:) I saw your article in Macleans Magazine, and I was intrigued. I am a 17 year old student who....has ADD, and actually, much like you appreciating your TS, I like ADD...I mean honestly, imagine how boring it would be not to be thinking of 10 things at once! Anyways, the reason I am writing is because I was wondering how closely related ADD is to TS and OCD. Through reading some of the articles on your site, I see many simelarities. I guess I am basically curious about the differences between the three because based on my understanding....very often people diagnosed with ADD have, to some degree, obsessive-cumpulsive tendancies, and very minor tics. Just Curious. K.A.B., ON, Canada.

Question 20: I listened to the museum of vocal tics. And I have a question because alot of the vocal tics exampled a sense of compulsion, which I know identifies TS. But what about vocalization that is often repeated without the thrusts but just sounds like silliness? And mind you I emphasize "often repeated." Does this qualify as a TS vocal tic. My husband does repeated phrases. And our son does repeated songs, sounds and phrases, continually. I hope to get him a diagnosis by a professional but he is only 5 and I want to see what may change or not. thank you ---- S.H., Texas, USA.

Question 17: Hello! My name is J. I am 10 years old. I was wondering If you could answer my questions. Well, here they are!

My questions are, Why do people have different tics than others and I was wondering what kind of tics you have? By the way, is it hard to become a doctor because I wanted to become a T.S doctor when I grow up. Thanks {almost} doctor Duncan! Bye! J.M., ON, Canada.

Question 14: What do you know about the Asthsma/coughing tic? [My son] has had a horrible cough for the last week, was dx with asthsma long before TS but am hearing things about it as a tic now. Matt has no weezing currently (at the moment) but is constantly coughing and the inhaler doesnt work. I know you're busy so I'll understand if you can't respond and won't be upset. R.S., MO, USA

Question 7: I listened to your presentation today and thought you were excellent- thanks for sharing and informing!! Why does Tourrette's only surface at around 5 years old...what do the younger kids do to indicate that they will be going in that direction and is there any parenting method to help???
K.A.S., Ontario, CA

Question 5: I really enjoyed your web site. I have not been diagnosed with TS but feel that I may have it. I do a small tick (like a head jerk) ,eye blinking and I find that I tap my teeth alot along with a couple of other things. I have requested a physicans list from TSA but have not received it yet. Do you or have you ever heard of anyone having a yawn? Is this a form of a tick? Also do you take any drugs to help you with TS? If you do are they worth the side affects? If you could please respond as you are the only person I know with TS. Thanks L, Alabama, USA

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