Tic Disorder; It is a neuropsychiatric disorder that occurs involuntarily and is characterized by repetitive motor (such as blinking, moving the head, neck, moving the arm, touching) or sounds (such as throat clearing, sniffing, sneezing), especially in childhood and adolescence.
Tics; If it lasts less than 1 year, it is called transient tic disorder, if it continues for more than 1 year, it is called chronic tic disorder. It is classified as simple (such as just blinking, or just moving your nose) or complex (if more than one motor or vocal tic is present). It can be seen as only motor or only vocal (vocal) tic; It can also be seen as both a motor and a sound tic. If both motor and vocal tic coexist for more than 1 year, the diagnosis is described as Tourette’s Syndrome and is more resistant to treatment.
Although tics usually appear around the age of 5-7 years, it is possible to start earlier. In particular, an increase is observed between the ages of 9-10, which can be described as the period of promiscuity, and decreases considerably when the age of 20 is reached. Tics usually appear as transient tic disorders. Generally, motor tics appear first, followed by vocal tics. voice (vocal) tics can make the clinic more negative.
Tics occur involuntarily, especially if they are chronic, there are sensations in the form of sensitivity and itching in the muscle groups in the relevant region where the tic occurred before; For this reason, the child and adolescent who feel that they will have tic try to suppress the tic.
Tics can sometimes occur for no apparent reason, tend to occur especially in stressful situations, or in the presence of other psychiatric disorders (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, OCD, Anxiety Disorder, Depression) or sometimes as a co-existing condition. It can also occur as a side effect of drugs used in treatments.
Tics especially; It increases with fatigue, long-term insomnia, excited environment and people. tics; It decreases in comfortable times (summer period, while engaging in desired activities or playing games), when psychological pressure is low. If tics are seen together with other psychiatric disorders, they show a more chronic course. Tic Disorder can go away on its own without any intervention, but if it continues for more than 6 months, it tends to be permanent.
Families, contrary to what is generally known, think that tics are voluntary and prefer to warn their children not to do these movements, which creates more stress in the child and leads to an increase in tics. Tics are an involuntary condition that can sometimes be stopped, but even in this case, it creates a feeling of distress, so it would be appropriate to avoid intervention as much as possible.
Exp. Dr. Parent KURT
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist
