The stereotypical depiction of Tourette Syndrome is used over and over again in TV shows and talk shows for its shock value. Dr. Laura’s radio talk show, Ally McBeal, and Touched by an Angel have all aired episodes that created a lot of controversy for people with Tourette Syndrome and their families. In the two TV shows, people with Tourette Syndrome were portrayed as dangerous people; in Ally McBeal the victim of TS even inadvertently killed her boyfriend. This caused many people to assume that if you have Tourette Syndrome, you must act like the actors on TV: impulsive, often violent, aggressive, and unable to control the words that come out of your mouth. You also see it used for a comedic effect – but living with this disorder is definitely not something to joke about.

It’s also not very rare. Estimates predict that between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 100 kids have Tourette Syndrome. It may seem like the sort of thing that could never happen to you, or that only affects kids someplace other than your hometown. But it’s important to remember that kids with TS live everywhere.

In its severest form, Tourette Syndrome can be a challenge to handle while still leading a somewhat normal life. However, in most cases this disorder is mild enough that people can live their lives how they want – and do great things in the process! There are lots of great role models who have had TS but still manage to do what they love. One is baseball player Jim Eisenreich, who played for the Florida Marlins in the 1997 World Series. Some historians even think that Mozart might have had TS. So if you have TS or know someone who does, remember that this disorder is as variable as the people who have it!