Tourette Syndrome: A Case Report, When Exclusion of Differential Diagnoses and Comorbidities Really Matters

Abstract

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by the presence of multiple motor tics and at least one phonic tic for a minimum of one year duration. It has many differential diagnoses and is often associated with psychiatric comorbidities. One of the differential diagnoses of TS is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); the stereotypic behavior of which needs to be differentiated from the tics of Tourette sufferers. This is a report of an 8-year-old boy with Tourette syndrome who was seriously disabled by his symptoms that necessitated thorough evaluation to exclude any causes, differential diagnoses, and or comorbidities. The treatment of children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome is an important clinical issue. In such cases the potential longterm negative effects of using antipsychotic or other medications need to be weighed against the disruptive effects of persistent Tourette symptoms on patients’ lives.