My son was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome 6 years ago. He is presently 13. He also has profound OCD, impulsivity issues, ADHD, bipolar and depression. He has attempted suicide 4 times-usually as impulsive acts rather than lingering depression.

At birth, he inhaled muconium and had a chest tube followed by 100% oxygen for 24 hours. He is adopted. His biological mother weighed 126 at the time of birth and consistently took diaretics and birth control pills throught her pregnancy.

A developed hypertension 4 years ago.

A neurologist has suggested that my son may have developed Tourette Syndrome and/or hypertension as a result of the birth trauma. The words "strai" and "synapse" were used but I am unclear of their meaning and their significance to his theory. He also noted that a strep infection occured shortly before the onset of the Tourette tics.

Without asking you to make a diagnoses, I would like to have more information on these ideas. Can you help explain what the neurologist might be suggesting?

dog1nut