Tourette's Aotearoa New Zealand
Imagine not being able to walk unassisted, cook a meal safely or attend school or work. This means most have a lack of independence and the physical debilitations can lead to a decline in mental health.
The Tourette's Association of New Zealand has hundreds of members nationwide, a team of great volunteers and a board made up of either individuals living with Tourette Syndrome or parents of children with Tourette Syndrome.
While it was first recognised as a disorder by French neurologist Georges Gilles de la Tourette in 1886, very little is yet known about the cause of Tourette Syndrome. As such there is no cure for the syndrome. It is estimated that six in a thousand people are born with Tourette Syndrome (TS) although only a small number of these people will ever be diagnosed; the majority will have tics that are so mild that they may not even be aware that they have the disorder. Tourette Syndrome is a paediatric disorder and for a formal diagnosis to be given, both types vc of tics need to occur concurrently before the age of 18 - although diagnosis may not be made until adulthood.