Tourette’s Syndrome and Other Tic Disorders

Tourette’s Syndrome and other Tic Disorders are characterized by repetitive, involuntary muscle movements (motor tics) and/or vocalizations (vocal tics). Common tics include eyeblinking, grimacing, shoulder shrugs, throat clearing, sniffing, and grunting. Chronic tic disorders can potentially have a significant negative impact on family relationships and functioning. Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and certain types of medication have been shown to be helpful in the treatment of TS and other tic disorders. HRT involves teaching youngsters to increase tic awareness and systematically engage in a new and opposite muscle behavior whenever they feel the urge to tic. Since tics often worsen in stressful situations, relaxation training and other stress management techniques are used to also better manage tics.