{"id":3700,"date":"2014-06-24T18:46:14","date_gmt":"2014-06-24T22:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/?p=3700"},"modified":"2014-06-24T18:46:14","modified_gmt":"2014-06-24T22:46:14","slug":"ask-dr-ticcy-do-my-tics-mean-that-i-have-ts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/ask-dr-ticcy-do-my-tics-mean-that-i-have-ts\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask Dr. Ticcy: Do my tics mean that I have TS?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Ticcy is a pseudonym for the\u00a0Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0National Office, which draws on information from experts across Canada and beyond to answer questions from the TS community. Please send your questions to\u00a0tsfc@tourette.ca<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0with the salutation \u201cDear Dr. Ticcy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear Dr. Ticcy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

My younger brother saw a doctor about his tics because they were bothering him. He was diagnosed with TS. When I found out, I started reading about TS because I wanted to learn more about the condition. Then I started noticing that that my dad, my older brother and I all do or say things that fit the definition of a tic.<\/p>\n

Is it possible that we (my dad, older brother, younger brother and I) all have TS? I\u2019m wondering if everyone in my family has TS, but my brother\u2019s tics are the worst so he is the only who saw a doctor and got diagnosed?<\/p>\n

Thanks!<\/p>\n

TS or Not?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear TS or Not,<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thank you for your great questions!<\/p>\n

First and foremost, remember that the only way to know if you or anyone has TS is to see a clinician (that means a doctor who works in a hospital, clinic or some other healthcare setting where they provide care to patients).<\/p>\n

Second, learning as much as you can about TS and tics, just like you are doing, is a positive step. Here is some additional information that might interest you.<\/p>\n

According to the guide used by doctors for diagnosing conditions like TS (called the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM), there is more than one kind of tic disorder. TS is the most severe type. Milder tic disorders include Persistent Motor Tic Disorder, Persistent Vocal Tic Disorder, and Provisional Tic Disorder.<\/p>\n

The DSM-5 (the current fifth edition) states that to have Tourette Syndrome, a person must have:<\/p>\n