Meet Christopher from St. Charles, Missouri
B: What is your name?
C: Christopher
B: How old are you and where are you from?
C: I am 11 years old and I live in St. Charles, Missouri.
B: How long have you had Tourette Syndrome?
C: I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome when I was 10, but I have had tics for a few years.
B: What kinds of symptoms do you have?
C: Different tics come and go, but my main tics are eye blinking, nose twitching, head shaking, and throat noises.
B: What is life like for you living with Tourette Syndrome?
C: My life is pretty normal. I have friends, I play sports, and I get good grades in school. The only difference is that Tourette’s can make things a little harder for me sometimes. I also have to explain TS to a lot of people, but I am getting pretty good at doing that.
B: What advice can you give other kids who are newly diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome?
C: The best thing you can do is always be yourself. Don’t be embarrassed about having TS, and don’t try to hide it. It will help a lot if you talk to your friends and classmates to teach them about TS. This will help them understand and then it becomes no big deal. I have given two speeches about TS to my classmates. Sometimes my friends and I can even laugh about it. Having a good sense of humor helps me to not worry so much about my tics.
B: What is the hardest thing about living with Tourette Syndrome?
C: Whenever I am trying to concentrate, sometimes a tic will come along and distract me.
B: What do you think other people should know about Tourette Syndrome?
C: Tourette Syndrome is not contagious and it won’t kill you. People with TS can do anything that anyone else can do. God makes everybody different…and my difference is Tourette Syndrome.
B: What are your strengths and what do you like to do?
C: I am a very good baseball pitcher and I really like playing baseball with my team. I also enjoy golfing, fishing, Scouting, and riding my bike. My favorite subject in school is science, and I play trombone in the school band.
B: What are your goals in life?
C: In a few years, I hope to become a Youth Ambassador for the Tourette Syndrome Association because I would like to help kids learn more about TS. I also want to be a camp counselor at the YMCA during the summer. When I grow up I plan to become a dentist.
