Legendary American soccer star Tim Howard has made a career playing for top clubs in the United States and in the Premier League. He was a fantastic goalkeeper with incredible skills and unwavering determination. The athlete announced his retirement in 2019 at the age of 40.
Originally from New Jersey, Tim Howard was born to an American father, Matthew, and a Hungarian mother, Esther. When he was a child, he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Fortunately, these diagnoses did not affect his football career and, according to the goalkeeper himself, sometimes gave him a certain advantage on the field.
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neurologist at the Hadassah Clinic branch at the Skolkovo International Medical Cluster
“Tim Howard himself points out that his illness has made him more focused and perceptive, which has given him an advantage when playing on the field. That is to say, the disease itself not only did not prevent him from having a successful career, but, on the contrary, to a certain extent helped him achieve unique results.”
The first symptoms of the future soccer star began when he was 9 or 10 years old, which had a particularly negative impact on his school life. The young man could not concentrate or sit still and the first tics appeared. At first, his compulsive behavior was limited to touching inanimate objects, but it soon developed into involuntary physical movements, such as shrugging, blinking sharply, and rolling his eyes.
As a child and into adulthood, Tim Howard felt that he could only better control his tics by participating in sports activities.
Judging by the video interview of the athlete, now the syndrome does not manifest itself very clearly and, most likely, does not reduce the quality of life.
What is Tourette syndrome?
Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder first described by the French neurologist Gilles de la Tourette in 1885. This pathology refers to tics: repeated, sudden, poorly controlled, rapid and irregular muscle contractions, including vocalizations (shouting words, sounds). When trying to contain any of these manifestations, the patient experiences an increase in internal tension and discomfort.
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In most cases, the onset of the disease occurs between four and six years of age, and the peak incidence occurs between seven and nine years of age. In the 15-16 age group, the disorder is less common. Most tics disappear spontaneously. However, in approximately 1% of children they persist into adulthood.
Prevalence data for Tourette syndrome range between 0.1% and 3% in the pediatric population and are not well established in the adult population.
According to some researchers, the appearance of this neurological disorder is based on a genetic predisposition. It has been suggested that the older the age of onset, the greater the risk of chronicity and subsequent development of neurodegenerative or mental diseases.
In addition to genetic causes, the development of tics and, in particular, Tourette syndrome, is associated with autoimmune and perinatal factors. They can be divided into several types:
temporary (transient) tics that last less than a year; persistent ones that last more than a year; Tourette syndrome: motor (motor) and vocal tics that last more than a year. In all cases, tics appear for the first time before the age of 18. Primary tics, including Tourette syndrome, arise due to damage to the central nervous system from toxic substances (e.g., cocaine) or other disorders (e.g., Huntington’s disease, viral encephalitis).
Symptoms of Tourette syndrome
The manifestations of the disease can be very diverse. Typically, the patient has a certain set of stereotyped tics, which can occur in the form of rapid (motor) movements, manifested by pronouncing or shouting (vowel) sounds or words, including, sometimes, swearing and swearing. (coprolalia).
Simple tics are one of the variants: either motor or vocal, while complex tics are a combination of several simple ones.
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Both simple and complex tics can occur several times in an hour and disappear for several weeks. As a rule, they do not occur during sleep. In Tourette syndrome, movements (motor tics) may have social meaning, that is, be recognizable as gestures and therefore appear intentional.
Stress and fatigue intensify the manifestations of the disease. However, it is not uncommon for tics to occur when the body is relaxed, such as while watching television.
In contrast, when patients participate in activities, such as in children while at school and in adults while performing work tasks, symptoms are significantly reduced or disappear completely.
Tourette syndrome does not cause loss of performance, but in some cases, when coprolalia (uncontrollable shouting of curse words) is present, it significantly reduces patients’ quality of life due to limited social contacts, the ability to work in a team, and make new friends. Motor tics do not cause alterations in motor functions and do not cause coordination disorders.
How to deal with?
Treatment of Tourette syndrome can be divided into several types: non-pharmacological, medicinal and treatment of concomitant pathologies.
Non-pharmacological treatment mainly includes cognitive behavioral therapy. This is usually the main and very effective treatment method.
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In some cases, Tourette syndrome is combined with other diseases, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It is worth noting that Tim Howard was also diagnosed with Tourette syndrome in combination with obsessive-compulsive disorder as a child. He uses a class of medications that are often prescribed to treat depression.
Important components of successful treatment and control of Tourette syndrome are the emotional support of the patient’s family, the creation of a comfortable environment at school for children with a similar syndrome, and the assistance of teachers in adapting to the team of children. Educational courses, schools for patients and their relatives, active media coverage form the correct attitude towards this disorder on the part of others and the patient himself.
Tim Howard knows first-hand what Tourette syndrome is and for many years he has dedicated himself to charitable assistance to patients with this pathology, in addition to speaking openly about his illness.
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