Tourette syndrome is a spectrum disorder with severity ranging from mild to severe, but the majority of cases are mild and do not need treatment,  in these cases, the effect of symptoms on the individual may be so mild that observers may not know about their condition.The severity of tics early in life does not predict severity in later life,  and the overall course of the disease is good,  although there are no reliable means of predicting the outcome of a specific individual.The general prognosis is positive, but there is a minority of children with Tourette's syndrome who have severe symptoms that persist into adulthood.A study of 46 19-year-olds found that 80% of their symptoms had a minimal impact on their overall function, and that another 20% experienced at least a moderate effect on their overall performance.