Tic Disorders
Tics are repeated, sudden, rapid and recurrent motor movements or vocalizations. Many tics are mild, but in some cases they become so severe that they interfere with your child’s life and require clinical attention. The most common tic disorder is Transient Tic Disorder in which tics typically go away on their own. Tourrette’s Disorder involves chronic motor and vocal tics and is often associated with problems with attention and impulsivity, as well as compulsive behaviors. Tics typically develop in early childhood and are 3-4 times more likely to occur in males. Tics are often worsened during times of stress, anxiety and fatigue. They can be successfully treated with medication and behavior therapy, and most children outgrow their tics during adolescence.
Helpful Websites
National Tourette Syndrome Association
National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke
Mayo Clinic
Books for Parents & Caregivers
Children with Tourette Syndrome: A Parents’ Guide
By Tracy Lynne Marsh
Living with Tourette Syndrome
By Elaine Fantle Shimberg
Quit It
By Marcia Byalick
I Can’t Stop!: A Story About Tourette Syndrome
By Holly L. Niner
Tic Talk: Living with Tourette Syndrome
By Dylan Peters & Paul Howey
Books for Children & Teens
Adam and the Magic Marble
By Adam Buehrens