Tourette syndrome. The pediatric perspective.

I report the clinical details of Tourette syndrome in 15 children. The condition typically starts at age 6 years with eyeblinking, and the child soon develops other tics and abnormal vocalizations. Coprolalia and echolalia occure but are infrequent. The average delay in correct diagnosis in this series was four years. Treatment with haloperidol produces a good or excellent response in three quarters of the patients. Many of the children have a history of encephalopathic events, "soft signs" on neurologic examination, and problems in school. Personal and social adjustmen are generally good, however.