Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders in children and adolescents

[Michiko]

Tics are rapid, purposeless, repetitive but not rhythmic, involuntary movements (muscle or motor tics) or involuntary, abrupt, often repetitive sounds and/or words (vocal tics). They can be suppressed but only for a short time and only with conscious effort. Tourette syndrome is diagnosed when people have had both motor and vocal tics for more than a year.

The urge to blink, grimace, jerk the head, move in some other way, or make a sound is irresistible, and the action is not voluntary.
Doctors base the diagnosis on symptoms.
Many tics disappear on their own, but if they are troublesome or severe, comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics and sometimes clonidine or antipsychotic drugs may help.

Tics vary widely in severity. One in five children has a tic of some sort for a period of time. Many of these tics are mild and often not recognized as a disorder by parents and doctors. Tourette syndrome is the most severe tic disorder and occurs in fewer than 1 in 100 children. Tics are 3 times as likely to occur in boys as in girls.
Tics begin before age 18 years (typically between ages 4 years and 6 years), increase in severity to a peak at about age 10 to 12 years, and decrease during adolescence. Eventually, most tics disappear. However, in about 1% of children, tics persist into adulthood.
Children with tics may have other disorders such as

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
An anxiety disorder, such as separation anxiety disorder
Learning problems

These disorders often interfere more with children