LAND O’ LAKES – Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin smiled as she watched a video of Adrianna Trader explain how she educates classmates at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School about Tourette Syndrome.
The video was filmed eight years ago but shown during the May 19 school board meeting in honor of Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month from May 15 to June 15. Adrianna went on to graduate from Wesley Chapel High School in 2023.
“As many of you know, this impacts my family,” Beaudoin told the crowd during the May 19 school board meeting. “I used to facilitate a local support group and Adrianna was in that support group.”
Beaudoin read a proclamation explaining the campaign and encouraged the community to show support by wearing teal on Tuesdays now through June 15.
She said Tourette Syndrome usually shows up between ages 6 and 10 as motor or vocal tics. These involuntary movements may start as a blink or nose twitch and progress to include tics of the neck or limbs as well as pacing or kicking. Verbal tics may include grunting, throat-clearing, shouting or barking.
“What you often see portrayed in the media about people with Tourette is called coprolalia, the involuntarily outburst of obscene words or socially inappropriate remarks,” she said. “Only a very small percentage of people with TS experience this. It is important to remember that tics are outside of a person’s control and that Tourette Syndrome does not negatively impact intelligence. In fact, many students with TS are identified as gifted.”
A couple of recent Pasco County Schools graduates were introduced during the topic, including one studying information technology at the University of South Florida.
Here is the proclamation read into the record by Beaudoin:
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month
Whereas, Tourette Syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder that is characterized by involuntary physical and vocal tics that occur many times a day; and
Whereas, Tourette Syndrome is often accompanied by other mental health disorders, such as Attention Deficit, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, learning disabilities and anxiety; and
Whereas, Tourette Syndrome and persistent tic disorders affect approximately one in 50 children. According to the 2020 Census, more than 85,786 school-age children in the State of Florida alone are dealing with Tourette Syndrome and although some of these cases are aided by medication there is no standard treatment or known cure for this disorder; and
Whereas, there is an important need for more professional help with interest and expertise to identify, counsel and treat people with Tourette syndrome, a disorder that is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood; and
Whereas, positive actions to assist children and families living with Tourette Syndrome would result in a broadening of public and professional knowledge and acceptance of Tourette Syndrome; and
Whereas, the Tourette Association of America is actively providing services to families, educating medial professionals and teachers and supporting research to better understand the signs and treatments of Tourette Syndrome.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that May 15 to June 15,2026, will be recognized as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month in Pasco County as a special month to promote understanding, compassion and acceptance for all of our fellow citizens who serve and need our support to break the stigma that surrounds Tourette Syndrome.
