A tic disorder is a condition that typically afflicts young children prior to adolescence, and comes in a few different forms to help identify the disorder. While a young child having a tic disorder can be concerning for parents, understanding what a tic disorder is can help draw awareness to this neurological condition.
Typically, a tic disorder is defined by an individual who involuntarily does odd bodily functions without reason, usually exacerbated by stress. A tic disorder lasts less than a year (tic disorders that last a year or more are usually classified as Tourettes, the most extreme tic disorder) and can be anywhere from acute (lasting 3 months or less) to chronic (where Tourettes becomes a concern and the tics don’t stop or actually increase).
Young boys are more prone for tic disorders, and they are hereditary. As a dominant trait, if a parent suffered from tics as a young child, their own children have a 50% chance of inheriting the disorder themselves. A tic in a young child can be anywhere from rapid blinking to nostril flaring, or humming or clearing the throat repeatedly. Facial grimacing also occurs often with a tic. A tic usually occurs most when a child is under stress, and can appear for the first time noticeably when a traumatic event has happened to a child, such as starting school, a family emergency, or moving to a new location.
A tic disorder typically fades within a few months to a year, and most tics are mild. They typically do not involve vocal tics, but a tic can vary from child to child. A simple tic is classified as a tic without purpose, such as blinking, a twitch of the muscles, grunting, or other vocal sounds without words. Throat clearing and coughing are also considered simple tics. A complex tic involves more involved motions, like chewing, scratching, throwing things, or producing words without provocation. Tics typically are noticeable because they are bodily motions or sounds done for no apparent reason, and children do not have control over these motions.
Approximately 10% of preadolescent children will suffer from a tic disorder of some sort in their lives before puberty. For parents, it is something that can draw great concern, but these tics typically don’t last more than a few months,and fade almost as quickly as they appear. However, if a child is experiencing tics that are increasing in severity, or are accompanied by other disorders such as OCD or ADHD, or if the tics last more than a year, Tourettes disorder may be a concern. Tourettes disorder is the most severe diagnosis of tic disorders, and can range from mild vocal outbursts and involuntary bodily movement to extreme outbursts in motion and vocality. The rarest form of Tourettes involves cursing involuntarily.
It’s difficult to define the severity of a tic disorder, as the tics themselves vary from child to child in severity and motion. Some children have tics so mild they are never noticed, some children simply look as if they have an “odd” habit of licking their lips frequently or blinking as if they have dry eyes. A parent who notices that their child does odd motions particularly in certain situations, such as at school or around strangers but not around the home or in a place of comfort may be more likely to recognize a possible tic disorder in their child. If a tic disorder seems to be a concern, a parent should take their child to their doctor to rule out stress factors, neurological disorders such as OCD or ADHD, and monitor their child to see if the condition worsens. In most cases, however, the tics will fade within just a few months.
Note: my brother when he was younger had this odd habit of twitching his neck a lot and it would make his head jerk, and “grew out of it”. My grandma called it a tic, and it never really drew any concern in the family. He doesn’t do this now as an adult.
Source:
http://www.childbrain.com/ticdisorder.shtml
