Lewis Capaldi: living with Tourette syndromeTourette syndrome is a neurological or neurodevelopmental condition, it is named after 19th century researcher Gilles de la Tourette.
by The Conversation
24-02-2023 11:05
in Entertainment
Lewis Capaldi. Image: The Conversation.
You might have seen the news fans of singer Lewis Capaldi helped him finish a song at a concert this week, after symptoms of his Tourette syndrome suddenly flared up and temporarily prevented him from performing.
--
So, what is Tourette syndrome and how is it managed?
Lewis Capaldi fans finish song for him as he experiences Tourette s symptoms mid-show. https://t.co/srSFIxpNdG
Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 23, 2023
Here's what you need to know.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: Tanker on FIRE in Pietermaritzburg
--
What is Tourette syndrome? Named after 19th century researcher Gilles de la Tourette, Tourette syndrome is a neurological or neurodevelopmental condition.
It's characterised by tics, which are involuntary movements or vocalisations.
Many people have simple tics, especially children. But the official definition of Tourette syndrome is motor and vocal tics nearly every day over more than 12 months.
--
There are two types of tics: motor tics and vocal tics.
Common motor tics often involve the head and neck. They can include things like:
eye blinking
facial grimacing
jerking the head and neck
mouth movements
shoulder jerks or jerking other parts of the body.
Vocal tics can include:
throat clearing sounds
humming sounds
huffing or grunting
sniffing
high pitched squeals
part of a word or syllable
sometimes whole words or phrases.
Sometimes in more severe cases of Tourette syndrome, people might have more complex tics and more orchestrated sequences of movements. This can include, for example, turning in a certain direction or tapping something a certain number of times. Often it's a sequence that feels right for that person, which they have to complete to relieve tension.
Initially there is what we call a premonitory urge . It's like an itch or the feeling you get before you sneeze. There's a build-up up of tension and it's relieved by the expression of the tic.
Tic People are often able to recognise this feeling prior to the tic and that's an important part of tic management.
Tics usually have onset in childhood, typically in the early primary school years, but occasionally later in life.
Common motor tics often involve the head and neck. Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock Tourette syndrome often runs a frustratingly waxing and waning course. There may be periods where it's not noticed for weeks or even months and then it comes back.
Sometimes tics get worse in response to stress, like the start of a new school term or moving house. Sometimes they get worse for no reason at all.
There can be an element of suggestibility; talking about a tic can bring on that tic.
There's also a degree of suppressibility. People with tics can either subconsciously or consciously suppress them. Kids often don't have many tics at school because they know they might get teased, but after school the parent often sees a lot of tics come flowing out.
People can often camouflage tics. For example, if they have an urge to jerk their arm, they may scratch their chin and transform it into something else. That's often a part of treatment or a method their team may work with them on.
How is it treated? Often we don't need to do anything about Tourette syndrome because it's not causing problems in terms of a person's self-esteem or their broader life. They can still hold a pen or a spoon and it's not affecting their day-to-day function.
Most cases are not severe and the tics don't need any intervention.
But many kids with Tourette syndrome also have other conditions such as ADHD, OCD and anxiety. So if the Tourette syndrome isn't causing harm the paediatrician may be more concerned about treating those issues first.
The marker for Tourette syndrome needing treatment is whether it's bothering the child.
If it is, we consider what we can do about the tics themselves. They are quite hard to treat.
A psychologist will usually work on general anxiety management strategies, as anxiety can be a significant driver of tics.
There is also a treatment strategy known as comprehensive behavioural intervention for tics, which is a dedicated program to help people manage their tics. But it can be difficult to access due to availability.
There are medications for severe cases but they're not very effective at reducing tics and can cause side effects.
"Telling me to shut up is like telling someone with arthritis to stop feeling pain in their joints or telling someone with asthma to take a deep breath."
Thank you Ben for helping to raise TS awareness you are amazing! https://t.co/GUl52jXcp5
via @Chroniclelive#tourettes
Tourettes Action (@tourettesaction) February 20, 2023
Why do some people get Tourette syndrome? We think Tourette is largely genetic.
It's nothing to do with anything the parents have done or the child has done, and it's not caused by anything that happened during pregnancy.
It's not one gene that causes it but rather a combination.
Reducing stigma is key Tourette syndrome is, by nature, a highly stigmatising condition because at the severe end people can do very unusual things and draw attention to themselves, through no fault of their own, which can cause embarrassment.
One thing we can do for kids, if they are able to, is suggest they go to their school with the support of a carer or parent and talk to classmates about their Tourette. They explain what it is and why they can't help it. Often that can lead to more acceptance from other kids.
ALSO READ: Petrol and diesel: Fill up SOON as price hike looms
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
Lewis Capaldi: living with Tourette syndromeTourette syndrome is a neurological or neurodevelopmental condition, it is named after 19th century researcher Gilles de la Tourette.
