Except for a rare condition called Tourette’s
Syndrome, most tics are transitory and disappear within a couple of
months.
SYMPTOMS: Tics refer to certain repeated involuntary movements that appear suddenly in
some school going children. The otherwise normal child starts blinking,
shrugging the shoulders, twisting the neck, coughing,
clearing the throat or sniffing. The frequency of these movements
can vary from child to child. They do not occur when the
child is asleep. Though more common in school children, tics can
also be seen in toddlers and preschool children.
In some cases, there is a history of the child having
passed through a stressful situation before the appearance of
the tics. In others, an illness may have preceded the appearance
of these movements.
Parents must remember that children do not undertake these movements on purpose. They
have no control over them. The movements take place spontaneously. Hence, the
child should not be ridiculed or punished for them. If
the parents are patient, the movements disappear within a
couple of months.
Tourette’s Syndrome
In the tics referred to above, the child has the same
type of movements all along. In Tourette’s Syndrome, the movements keep changing. Besides the abnormal movements
and symptoms given above, the child with Tourette’s Syndrome may exhibit a chewing movement
and thrusting of the tongue. Some of these children may have other
specific learning disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), discussed under that section.
