Inspirational Triumph over Tourette Syndrome – Tim Howard

Credit: Espn.go.com

Since the beginning of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on the 12th of June, we have sat on the edge of our seats rooting to the United States. Today the USA plays Germany and we are ever so hopeful for a win.

I fell in love with the game of soccer 18 years ago when my oldest son began playing at age 5 followed by his brother, 3 years later. My oldest, now 23, boasts the most incredible passion for the sport and I have always admired his tenacity with triumphing over his personal adversity. He started with recreation soccer and moved into the local travel league. When he ended up in a back brace for a year at the young age of 9 due to Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis (minute spinal stress fractures), he was sidelined with a broken yet ever passionate heart.  It was that experience that sparked his desire to become a doctor so that he could help athletes get back to the game they love.

The local travel team would not take him back after his recovery, so we started our own team. He then moved onto another league, then another, each time improving upon his skill set and eventually playing with the NJ Olympic Development Program. It was at a NJ ODP camp that he met (and scored on) US Soccer Goalie, Tim Howard.

Sneak Peek at Tim Howard

I have always loved the stories that inspire the soul, the kind that shows the amazing human character of triumphing over tragedy – or simply succeeding in the face of adversity.

Tim Howard is one such inspiration in that he has demonstrated incredible success despite his adversity through his childhood – Tourette Syndrome (TS), a neurological disorder with symptoms of involuntary movements (tics) of the face, arms, limbs or trunk.

Howard reports that school was “a real challenge. Unlike today, I found it incredibly hard to concentrate and listen for a long time. I kept fidgeting.”
Between the ages of 9 and 15, Howard’s life was a bit chaotic always trying to figure out how to deal with his tics and as soon as he discovered a way to deal with one particular tic, another one would come along.

With Tourette’s, the impacted individual has unusually swift reactions. When Howard was playing for the US National U-17 Soccer Team, he realized that his swift reflexes were related to his disorder.

Howard, clearly a man of character and great strength, is surely proud to be playing with the US National Team – but his biggest achievement “is certainly the fact that I did not allow myself to be restricted by TS and continued along my path in soccer.”

Only 2 percent of the population has TS and an even lesser percent plays professional sports. Howard states, “I see myself as a positive example that Tourette syndrome does not have to be an illness. It’s just a condition, which still allows anyone to fulfill their dreams.”

Additional Pro Athletes with TS 

• Jim Eisenreich – Retired Major League Baseball Player who now runs the Jim Eisenreich Foundation for Children with Tourette Syndrome
• Steve Wallace – NASCAR Nationwide Series driver
• Eric Bernotas – a three-time U.S. skeleton champion who made his Olympics debut in 2006
• Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (formerly named Chris Jackson) – Professional Basketball Player 
• Lane Easley (Skateboarder)
• Mike Johnston, a relief pitcher formerly on the roster for the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Jeremy Stenberg, a motocross rider nicknamed “Twitch”

What is Tourette Syndrome?

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (Tourette Syndrome or TS) is a neurological disorder which becomes evident in early childhood or adolescence. The first symptoms usually are involuntary movements (tics) of the face, arms, limbs or trunk that tend to be frequent, repetitive and rapid. The most common first symptom is a facial tic (eye blink, nose twitch, grimace), and is replaced or added to by other tics of the neck, trunk, and limbs.

Diagnostic Criteria

For an individual to be diagnosed with TS pursuant to DSM-5 criteria he or she must have:

• both multiple motor tics (for example, blinking or shrugging the shoulders) and vocal tics (for example, humming, clearing the throat, or yelling out a word or phrase), although they might not always happen at the same time.
• had tics for at least a year. The tics can occur many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly every day, or off and on.
• tics that begin before he or she is 18 years of age.
• symptoms that are not due to taking medicine or other drugs or due to having another medical condition (for example, seizures, Huntington disease, or postviral encephalitis).

These involuntary tics may also be complicated, involving the entire body, such as kicking and stamping. Many persons report what are described premonitory urges – the urge to perform a motor activity.

Additional Symptoms May Include:

• touching
• repetitive thoughts
• movements
• compulsions

What are Vocal Tics?

Vocal tics can include grunting, throat clearing, coughing, shouting and barking.

Despite the widespread publicity the following are uncommon with tic disorders:

Coprolalia – the involuntary use of obscene words or socially inappropriate words and phrases

Copropraxia – obscene gestures

Although not required in the diagnostic criteria, the following may be present but less frequently:

Echolalia –repeating the words of others

Palilalia – repeating one’s own words

Impacts

The largest majority of TS cases fall into the mild category although the symptoms can range from mild to severe. Co-occurring conditions can include ADHD/ADD, impulsivity, and obsessive compulsive behavior.  There is usually a family history of tics, Tourette Syndrome, and/or ADHD, and/or OCD. TS can occur amongst all ethnic groups. Males are affected 3 to 4 times more often than females.

Tim Howard, USA National Goalie will be playing today against Germany. Go USA!

My son, accepted into medical school, will someday be helping athletes get back to the sport that they love post injury. He continues to fuel his passion for soccer by coaching Club Soccer at Fordham University.

Howard, a humble man, is a wonderful and inspirational example of triumph over adversity – not just how he learned to work with his TS and use it to his advantage with his swift movements – he leads the example for any child impacted by any number of isms to never give up on your dreams.

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