Tics are sudden, brief and repetitive motor movements that can include spoken words (vocalisations) and sounds.
- Motor Tics: Motor tics are movements of the body. Examples of motor tics include blinking, shrugging the shoulders, or jerking an arm.
- Vocal Tics: Vocal tics are sounds that a person makes with his or her voice. Examples of vocal tics include humming, clearing the throat, or yelling out a word or phrase.
Tics can be either simple or complex:
- Simple tics. These sudden, brief and repetitive tics involve a limited number of muscle groups.
- Complex tics. These distinct, coordinated patterns of movements involve several muscle groups.
Tics typically develop between 4 to 6 years of age, and peak at between 10 to 12 years of age. Tics tend to decrease during the teenage years, and eventually most disappear on their own.
Categories of Tic Disorders:
- Provisional tic disorder: Motor and/or vocal tics have been present for less than 1 year
- Persistent tic disorder: Motor or vocal tics have been present for more than 1 year
- Tourette's disorder: Both motor and vocal tics have been present for more than 1 year