Creating a comic character with tourette's syndrome

[fukai_otaku]

Hi. I am a young artist with autism. I am currently working on a story in the form of manga which means in japanese comic. This is a christian manga, this would be a teenaged comic. I am trying to put within the story some neurological disorders. I myself have grown up with asperger's along with other comobrid conditions. I do have a few characters in my story that have tourette's syndrome, but I do not know anyone as a friend who has this syndrome. I researched online from what it is and I don't comprehend the terms. I was wondering if anyone would like to talk about what it was like growing with TS. I can also give you a description of the characters who also have it. I don't know how to use the scanner for putting stuff online nor do I have a webpage up yet to show off my artwork. If anyone would like to help me out, please don't hesistate to send me an email. ^__^ Here's a description of the characters who have the syndrome:

 

A 19 year old male name Jake, his tics are head jerking and gulping. He has had a devastating childhood growing up with TS. He lives in a small town, and not everyone understood his tics nor his behavior. He had a hard time in the first grade, since it was a time for making new friends. He was even bullied by peers. He did however, make one friend which became a best friend. This boy had an aunt who made noises as well, plus he had a mom who he thought was weird as well.

 

 

-A 38 year old pregnant female who has mild tourette's, that consist of head shaking and belching. Her name is Rebecca. She grew up in a time where tourette's was unheard of. (I was wondering if I can get help on tourette's history, and when clinics started being available to people). Rebecca has also passed on her tourette's to her 2 year old daughter Emily Abatha. Rebecca is pregnant with her second child and cautious of it carrying TS as well. (I have a question about mild tourette's, can't it become severe at times even though it is mild?) Also, can tics come out for a woman during stress such as childbirth?

 

-Emily Abatha, a toddler who has TS, however not yet diagnosed. Her mother knows of TS very well because she has it and is a registerd nurse. Her grandmother can seem to be on the overprotective side when it comes to her granddaughter's tics. Emily Abatha doesn't mind her tics. However, her older cousin Matthew ridicules her, he uses her tics as an excuse for what his real problem is among his aunt's family.

 

 

 

-I was wondering if I could get feedback from anyone just telling me if I should add more information on TS or anything. I'm trying to aim this at teens. I'm trying to make this more "down to earth" something that can be related to them, even their past like childhood. Growing up with anything is tough for a kid. But God is always there.

 

God Bless.

[Giselle]

Hi there, I think it's good that you are including characters that have TS. Perhaps you might contact the TSA and get a copy of "That Darn Tic" which has stories and experiences by kids with TS. One comment though is that each of your characters seems to have had a really hard time with TS and that's definitely not the case with all tourettes -most of the kids are really well adjusted and doing fine. Their friends know what TS is and don't care.

 

Good luck,

Giselle