Tics More Common Than First Thought

By April Clarkson, June 10th, 2013 | Health | 0 Comments

A study suggests tic disorders like Tourette’s Syndrome are more common in children than doctors thought.
Researchers in Rochester, New York, interviewed more than 1,500 school children. 20 percent had tics. The number was higher, 27 percent, among children in special education classes.

Tics are involuntary, repetitive movements, such as eye blinking or head jerking, or sounds, such as throat clearing.

Tourette’s Syndrome is diagnosed when both motor and vocal tics have been present for at least one year. Up to 3 percent of the children in the study had Tourette’s, nearly 8 percent among special education students.

Researchers say that often the symptoms are so mild they go unnoticed and most resolve themselves on their own. They note that tics may be a sign of an underlying brain developmental disorder that contributes to academic difficulties

While larger studies are needed to confirm the findings. They say the results suggest the importance of better training for doctors, teachers and parents to recognize tics early in young children.

Tourette’s Syndrome is linked to abnormalities in the part of the brain, which controls movement. Attention disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and some learning disabilities are also linked to abnormalities in this area.