A scoping review of oral language and social communication abilities in children with Tourette syndrome.
Angela Feehan, Monique Charest
PMID 37667569WHAT IT FOUND
Average verbal IQ, vocabulary and fluency were common in children with Tourette syndrome, but social communication problems and autism traits were higher than controls, especially with co-occurring conditions.
Screen complex cases.
Key findings
01Eighteen studies found children with TS averaged within the normal range for verbal intellectual ability.
02Caregiver questionnaires found increased social communication problems in children with TS compared with controls, and children with TS plus ADHD scored lower on social interaction than children with TS only or controls.
03Children with Tourette syndrome scored higher on autism trait measures than typically developing controls, but lower than children with autism.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Scoping review did not systematically evaluate study quality, so weak or strong studies are not separated. Many studies were old, with publication dates from 1974 to 2019, and older reporting may not match current Tourette syndrome definitions. Sample sizes varied widely, and 27 studies had fewer than 30 children with Tourette syndrome. Most oral language studies measured verbal IQ or fluency rather than conversation, narrative or full language assessment. Social communication measures were mostly parent questionnaires reporting total scores, not direct observation of interaction. Co-occurring conditions were not reported consistently, so it is hard to tell whether differences are due to Tourette syndrome alone. The review looked at skills within the child and did not address stigma or environment.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Tourette syndrome causes a language disorder. The review mapped existing studies, did not evaluate quality, and many oral language scores were average, with difficulties often linked to co-occurring conditions.