US goalkeeper Tim Howard doesn’t let Tourette syndrome stop him

It’s not common knowledge, but U.S. World Cup goalkeeper, Tim Howard, is fighting two battles when he’s on the field–one against his opponents, and one against Tourette’s syndrome.

Howard was diagnosed with the neurological disorder when he was just 9-years-old after his mother noticed symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition that often accompanies Tourette syndrome.

SEE ALSO: 16 glorious saves by Tim Howard

“Ninety percent of cases start before the age of 10,” Dr. Roger Kurlan told FoxNews.com. ““The current definition of Tourette syndrome requires that tics appear before the age of 21 and last at least a year before someone can be diagnosed. A lot of people will try to suppress their tics in public and as soon as they get home – they will have a big flurry of tics that could go on for a long period of time,” he said. “But it would take a tremendous effort, as Tim describes, to use willpower to suppress your tics. There’s a mental cost to it.”

Constantly having to hide what most would consider to be embarrassing outbursts or repetitive movements can be tiring on a daily basis for a person with Tourette Syndrome.

What are tics?

According to the Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA), tics are the prominent behavioral and physical symptoms associated with Tourette syndrome. Tics can be motor or vocal, and thy consist of involuntary movements such as eye blinking, facial grimacing, jerking of the limbs, shoulder shrugs, grunting, howling, yelling of words, throat clearing, and sniffling even if you’re not suffering from an allergic condition.

Tics can be simple or they can be complex, and they can be very individual to the person with the condition.

In order for an individual to be diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, they must exhibit at least two motor tics and one vocal tic, have their tics manifest prior to the age of 18, and have tics persist for at least a year. For many people, tics can be debilitating and embarrassing, and experts say Tim Howard is lucky because as a professional athlete, tics are less likely to be a detriment to his daily routine.

“I think it certain settings, like on a sports field, it’s not necessarily socially debilitating to have repetitive throat-clearing, or blinking of the eyes,” Kurlan said. “Also, often times when people are involved in distracting activities, the tic does get better to some extent, Tim is fortunate he’s out on a soccer pitch and not stuck in an office someplace where the tics could be much more debilitating.”

What happens when someone is diagnosed with Tourette syndrome?

Tourette syndrome can be a complicated diagnosis. Some individuals have Tourette syndrome and no other diagnosable conditions; however, it’s common for Tourette syndrome to accompany other conditions such as ADHD, OCD, anxiety, insomnia, depression, mania, and social development disorders.

Currently, there is no cure for Tourette syndrome, and individuals must use a combination of behavioral therapy and medication to manage their symptoms. For most, tics decrease with age and medication is generally only needed if children are having trouble in school or adults at work.

“Most people with TS show noticeable improvement in their late teens or early twenties, and some even become tic-free,” indicates TSA. “Only a small percentage of people with TS continue to have very severe and persistent tics into adulthood. Until the 1970s, TS was thought to be very rare. As awareness of TS has grown, more people with milder symptoms are being diagnosed. Tics are more common in children than in adults, and mild cases of TS are more common than severe cases. The current estimate is between 3-6 children out of 1000 are likely to be affected.”

SEE ALSO: Did I ruin my son’s life with this ADHD medication?

Many people with Tourette syndrome shy away from the public and social situations, but Tim Howard has risen to success and global fame. According to Kurlan, this is quite the accomplishment and is proof of Howard’s inner fortitude.

“He’s thrived and has had great success in such a highly competitive and highly physical field where he’s in front of thousands of people and now millions of people in terms of the television,” he said. “Again this shows a tremendous amount of inner strength and self-confidence, which is probably the key to success for people with Tourette syndrome.”