Not every child with tics has Tourette syndrome.
Diagnostic categories
- Provisional (transient) tic disorder — tics for less than 12 months
- Persistent motor or vocal tic disorder — one type of tic for over 12 months
- Tourette syndrome (TS) — both motor AND vocal tics, present for over 12 months, starting before age 18
Tics that started suddenly?
Rapid-onset tics in older children/teens can sometimes be functional tic-like behaviours rather than TS. This needs specialist assessment.
PANDAS / PANS
A small number of children develop tics suddenly after strep or other infections (PANDAS). If tics started overnight after illness, raise this with your .
Getting a diagnosis
- Start with the — describe what you see, when it started, what makes it better/worse
- Referral to community paediatrics or neurology
- Diagnosis is clinical — based on history, no scan or blood test confirms it
- Filming tics is helpful
What about and OCD?
Around 50% of children with TS also have , and many have OCD traits. These are often more disabling than the tics themselves and need their own support.