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Chronic motor tic disorder
Chronic vocal tic disorder; Tic - chronic motor tic disorder
Chronic motor tic disorder is a condition that involves quick, uncontrollable movements or vocal outbursts (but not both).
Causes
Chronic motor tic disorder is more common than Tourette syndrome . Chronic tics may be forms of Tourette syndrome. Tics usually start at age 5 or 6 and get worse until age 12. They often improve during adulthood.
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome is a condition that causes a person to make repeated, quick movements or sounds that they cannot control.
Symptoms
A tic is a sudden, fast, repeated movement or sound that has no reason or goal. Tics can involve:
- Excessive blinking
- Grimaces of the face
- Quick movements of the arms, legs, or other areas
- Sounds (grunts, throat clearing, contractions of the abdomen or diaphragm)
Some people have many kinds of tics.
People with the condition can hold off these symptoms for a short time. But they feel relief when they carry out these movements. They often describe the tics as a response to an inner urge. Some say they have abnormal sensations in the area of the tic before it occurs.
Tics may continue during all stages of sleep. They may get worse with:
- Excitement
- Fatigue
- Heat
- Stress
Exams and Tests
The doctor can usually diagnose a tic during a physical examination. Tests are generally not needed.
People are diagnosed with the disorder when:
- They have had the tics nearly every day for more than a year
- They have not had a tic-free period longer than 3 months
Treatment
Treatment depends on how severe the tics are and how the condition affects you. Medicines and talk therapy (coginitive behavioral therapy) are used when the tics greatly affect daily activities, such as school and job performance.
Medicines can help control or reduce tics. But they have side effects, such as movement and thinking problems.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Children who develop this disorder between ages 6 and 8 often do very well. Symptoms may last 4 to 6 years, and then stop in the early teens without treatment.
When the disorder begins in older children and continues into the 20s, it may become a lifelong condition.
Possible Complications
There are usually no complications.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
There is usually no need to see the health care provider for a tic unless it is severe or disrupts daily life.
If you cannot tell whether you or your child's movements are a tic or something more serious (such as a seizure ), call your provider.
Seizure
A seizure is the physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term "seizure...
References
Ryan CA, Trieu ML, DeMaso DR, Walter HR. Motor disorders and habits. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 139.
Singer HS. Tics and Tourette's syndrome. In: Swaiman K, Ashwal S, Ferriero DM, Ferriero D, eds. Swaiman's Pediatric Neurology . 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2012:chap 70.
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Central nervous system - illustration
The central nervous system is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system includes all peripheral nerves.
Central nervous system
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Review Date: 2/27/2016
Reviewed By: Amit M. Shelat, DO, FACP, Attending Neurologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, SUNY Stony Brook, School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
