From your description of your child's behaviour, it is certainly a possibility that autism may be a consideration alongside the diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome. TS is sometimes associated with Asperger's or high functioning autism or ASD (autistic spectrum disorder). The problem is at the high end of the autism spectrum it theoretically merges into the so-called 'normal' category and where should a line be drawn. I've worked with a number of scientists and I can certainly say that some have traits quite suggestive of ASD! There is a documented link between 'cleverness' or 'geekiness' and ASD. There is a higher incidence of ASD among children whose parents are graduates/doctors for example. There's an increased incidence (above the normal average) of ASD for children born in the Silicon Valley area of California which has a high concentration of graduates and technologists in electronics, computer science and software engineering.
Something I've had concerns about for some time is the crossover that occurs when a person with TS is assessed using some of the standard ASD checklists/questionaires. Many answers come out the same as those relating to autistic individuals but, when you look more carefully, for very different reasons. I filled in a reputable example (developed by a Cambridge Research Group) and scored slightly higher than a friend who has high functioning autism, yet I don't display the central core features of ASD but have TS.
I think when persuing a possible diagnosis in a child, there should be a consideration of the tangible benefits to be had from doing so e.g. school provision etc. Often health professionals will hesitate to attach a label initially and give it time. Many (good) child developmental doctors prefer initially to just describe what they see and what is reported by parents and wait and see how things go before attaching a label or ticking the box. The thing with 'eye contact' is often cited however autistic people may actually tell you that a lot of their problems stem from sensory hypersensitivity and that they find prolonged eye contact too intense in the same way as sounds, flashing lights or tactile stimulation may be overwhelming to them. Some on the spectrum shy from most social interaction (but not all the time) whereas others show marked empathy and enjoy socialising. The problem with labels is that they stick, remain on the medical history and can become sigmatising. That has to be balanced against possible benefits of a specific diagnosis and also personal needs - for many parents it is important for them to know and explore concerns thoroughly.
