Funny how the focus of the spasms seem to be focused around swear words, were taught as children that these words are wrong.. so why is it always with the swear words with this syndrome, why not just random words?
Short answer: it's not always swear words. That's a myth. You probably just hear about those cases more because they're more shocking.
According to the article I just read to answer this, Tourette's can be defined as "a primarily genetic disorder, which involves neurological chemical abnormalities in the brain, which manifests as tics and which could cause further psychological and social problems for the child" (Tourette's manifests from childhood)
Tourettes is a syndrome that consists of a number of symptoms, the most common being tics, but there are also associations (co-morbidities) with depression and anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, ADHD, poor scholastic performance (particularly when not diagnosed early enough), behavioural problems.
The tics can be motor (eg blinking, running a hand through the hair), verbal or sensory (a feeling that leads to a motor or verbal tic which is done to alleviate the sensory tic). Verbal tics can consist of swear words (called Coprolalia) but this isn't always the case. They can be simply an unclear word or phrase, coughing, throat clearing, shouting, animal noises etc. It can be the repetition of the last thing heard (echolalia) or the repetition of the last thing said (palalia)
SEND PICS FOR AUSTARION CALENDAR TO: austarion.calendar(at)gmail.com
(replace (at) with @, just avoiding spam)
WIFE: noun: 1) pit-crew at race days 2) emergency pick up and tow service 3) shoulder to cry on after VERY unsuccessful race days
Just had a look at a couple of those clips. As it says on the "home" page, I wouldn't say based on those clips that he had Tourettes, although there may be some problem.
Generally the tics in Tourette's are intrusive and unrelated to the situation, whereas there they seemed more like an over the top reaction (of course I'm not a specialist, and I'd invite any more knowledgeable people to correct me).
SEND PICS FOR AUSTARION CALENDAR TO: austarion.calendar(at)gmail.com
(replace (at) with @, just avoiding spam)
WIFE: noun: 1) pit-crew at race days 2) emergency pick up and tow service 3) shoulder to cry on after VERY unsuccessful race days
Yea it's either put on or it's something temper related.. his reactions seem a bit comical and the fact his own kids are exploiting him is another curve ball.. is america though.
Anyway it's up there for a laugh
Last edited by Junkers on Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.