It is known that a higher than normal incidence of milder tic disorders and obsessive compulsive behaviors occurs in the families of TS patients. The sex of the child also influences the genetic expression of the condition. The chance that the gene-carrying child of a person with TS will have symptoms is at least three to four times higher for a son than for a daughter. In some cases TS may not be inherited, and is identified. Those cases are called sporadic TS and the cause is unknown.
Many people experience marked improvement in their late teens or early twenties.
Most people with TS get better, not worse, as they mature, and those diagnosed with TS have a normal life span. Since many people with TS have yet to be diagnosed, there are no absolute figures. The Tourette Syndrome Association has an extensive Catalog of Publications and Videos that details many of the topics touched upon in these FAQs. The ABC s of Tourette s Our Tourette Links Our Story about Tourettes Classroom Strategies with Tourettes Glossary of Terms for Tourettes F.A.Q. about Tourettes Simplified Chart for Tic ID Common Myths about TS Diag.