Tics are sudden, brief, repetitive movements (motor tics) or sounds (vocal tics) that a child can''t fully control.
Quick facts
- About 1 in 100 school-age children has Tourette syndrome.
- Tics often start between ages 5 and 9.
- Tics get worse with stress, excitement, tiredness — and sometimes when trying to suppress them.
- Tics are NOT the child being "naughty" or "doing it on purpose".
- Most people with TS do NOT swear — coprolalia (involuntary swearing) affects only ~10%.
What it can look like
- Eye blinking, head jerks, shoulder shrugs, facial grimaces
- Throat clearing, sniffing, humming, words
- Complex tics — combinations of movements
Premonitory urge
Many children describe a build-up feeling — like an itch — that is relieved by doing the tic. Suppressing it takes huge effort and can cause a "tic explosion" later (often at home).
What helps
- Reducing stress and pressure
- Sleep, hydration, regular meals
- Letting the child tic freely in safe spaces (especially home after school)
- A safe word to leave the classroom
- Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (CBIT) — a -recommended therapy
Source: Tourettes Action UK, .uk