Tics are repetitive behaviors that include muscle movements or vocalizations. According to the Child Health Monitor, between 5 and 20 percent of children will experience at least one tic during childhood. Dr. Terence Sanger of the Movement Disorders Virtual University says that tics are not voluntary movements. Much like an itch, there is a build-up of tension that can only be relieved by performing the tic behavior.
Motor Tics
Motor tics may affect the limb muscles or facial muscles. When only motor tics are present, the disorder is referred to as chronic motor tic disorder. Simple motor tics are the most common type in children and include twitching, grimacing, shrugging the shoulders and eyelid blinking. More complex motor tics involve multiple muscle groups and include behaviors such as jumping, hopping, twirling or self-hitting. All types of tics may become worse when a child is under stress, tired or taking certain medications.
Vocal Tics
Vocal tics affect the muscles of the vocal cords. Simple vocal tics include behaviors such as grunting, coughing, clearing the throat and barking or other sounds. Complex vocal tics include echoing the words of others, speaking words out of context or speaking obscenities.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of simple tics can be difficult and should be performed by a pediatrician or other health professional. Sometimes a child will incorporate the tic movement into a normal gesture to avoid embarrassment. Often, other health problems need to be ruled out. For example, eyelid blinking may be due to a variety of conditions, including allergies, vision problems or a motor tic. A pediatric ophthalmologist can determine the correct diagnosis. For vocal tics, such as coughing or grunting, a pediatrician will examine the possibility of other illnesses, allergies or asthma.
Treatment
Benign transient tics usually disappear on their own within weeks to months. Some children may feel self-conscious about tics, and this heightened anxiety may make the tic more frequent. Adults should avoid drawing extra attention to tics and should keep in mind that the tic behavior is involuntary. Never punish children for tic behaviors. Parents can help their children by informing teachers and other caregivers about benign tics.
Chronic Tics
Only 1 percent of childhood tics persist beyond one year, and these are termed chronic tic disorder. In some cases, chronic tic disorder is related to a more unusual tic disorder called Tourette's Syndrome. According to the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, children with Tourette's will display multiple tic behaviors and may also have learning disabilities, attention difficulties, impulsive behavior and obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
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