I had thought that people with this condition were easy to recognize. However, these behaviors are very rare. Saint-Hilaire emphasizes that those with Tourette often encounter misinformation among the general public. There seems to be a stereotype for people with Tourette, and I think that it's been encouraged by inaccurate portrayals on television and in movies. The severity and frequency of symptoms usually decreases with age, but can increase under periods of emotional stress.
Symptoms range from mild to severe, with most people falling into the mild category.
Because it is an inherited condition, those with Tourette have about a 50 percent chance of passing on the gene to one of their children. Although there presently is no cure for Tourette syndrome, most people are taught how to control the problem, says Saint-Hilaire, and for some, medication can help them lead relatively normal lives. Physicians may prescribe one of several medications that affect neurotransmitters, including Haldol, Klonopin, and Prozac. By learning to use stress-reduction techniques, Tourette sufferers can help break that cycle. Children with Tourette syndrome often have additional learning problems, such as attention deficit disorder.