During a medical history for
Tourette's disorder (TD), your child's doctor will ask
questions about your child's tics. You may have to monitor the tics for a few
months to accurately answer all questions. Questions may include:
- What kinds of tics are present, and what makes
them worse?
- When did the tics first start, and which type of tics
came first?
- Did the tics first start after an infection or
illness?
- Are the tics noticed by other people, such as teachers and
children at school?
- Has your child tried to control the tics? What
are the results of that effort?
- Does your child seem aware of the
tics? Has your child said anything that indicates he or she is frustrated or
upset about them?
- Does your child have any habits or rituals that
have to be done a certain way?
- How does your child perform at
school? Has his or her teacher mentioned any difficulties with attention span,
staying on task, or bothering others?
- How much do the tics
interfere with your child's daily activities or school
performance?
- What medicines is your child currently taking?
Tourette's disorder likely has a strong genetic component. This means
that having a particular gene or combination of genes makes a person likely to
develop the condition. After answering a doctor's detailed questions about the
family's medical history, many parents of a child with TD are surprised to
learn other family members may have also had symptoms of the condition.
Questions a doctor may ask about you, your family, and other factors
that may be associated with your child developing TD include:
