Tics, or muscle twitches, are a common occurrence in children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP, about 20 percent of children suffer from tics. Tics usually affect children between seven and nine years of age, but may occur in children as young as two. Tics are usually a benign condition and typically resolve within a few months. However, you may need to talk to your pediatrician if the tics interfere with your child's daily activities or persist for longer than a year.
Definition
A tic is an involuntary movement or sound that is done repetitively. Tics most commonly occur in the face and neck, but can occur in any part of the body. Motor tics include repetitive movements such as blinking the eyes, raising the eyebrows, grimacing, biting the lips, twisting the neck, shrugging the shoulders, thrusting the arms, kicking the legs and jumping. Vocal tics include sounds or speech such as coughing, clearing the throat, grunting, snorting, moaning, humming and even speaking words or sentences.
Transient Tic Disorder
Transient Tic Disorder is the most common tic disorder, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. It is a benign condition and usually resolves within three months. Vocal or motor tics that persist longer than one year are classified as chronic and should be evaluated by your pediatrician.
Cause
The cause of tics is not well understood. They may be due to stress, anxiety, genetics, certain medications, such as Adderall, Ritalin and Dexedrine. They can also be caused by infections, although that is rare. For unknown reasons, males are more likely to suffer from tics.
Types
There are two types of tics: simple and complex. Simple motor tics are brief, sudden movements that usually involve only one group of muscles, such as shoulder shrugging or eye blinking. Simple vocal tics are sounds such as sniffing or clearing the throat. Complex motor tics, such as touching or throwing objects, are longer than simple and occur in more than one group of muscles. Complex vocal tics are spoken words that are usually said suddenly.
Management
Most tics do not need to be treated with medications, but there are several things that you can do to help your child. Never yell at your child or scold them for their tics. This will only stress your child and probably make the tics worse. Since stress can be a cause of tics, try to decrease the amount of stress in your child's life as much as possible.
When To See Your Pediatrician
The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that you should see your pediatrician if your child's tics persist for more than one year, are severe, occur often, impede his or her life, cause emotional stress or if your child has a family history of Tourette's syndrome or a tic disorder.
