Tic
A sudden, involuntary movement (motor tic) or sound (vocal tic). Not voluntary, not attention-seeking, not faked.
See age-by-age examples →Tourette's
Practical language and strategies for living calmly alongside tics — for your child, for siblings and for school.
12 of 12 terms
A sudden, involuntary movement (motor tic) or sound (vocal tic). Not voluntary, not attention-seeking, not faked.
See age-by-age examples →Movement tics — blinking, head jerks, shoulder shrugs, jumping, complex sequences.
See age-by-age examples →Sound tics — sniffing, throat clearing, coughing, words or phrases. Rarely swearing (coprolalia is uncommon).
See age-by-age examples →The build-up of pressure or sensation in the body just before a tic, like a sneeze. Releasing the tic relieves it.
See age-by-age examples →Holding tics back briefly — possible but exhausting and often followed by a ‘tic storm' once it's safe.
See age-by-age examples →An intense burst of frequent or severe tics, often after stress, excitement, illness or suppression.
See age-by-age examples →Tics naturally come and go in waves — new ones appear, old ones fade. Don't read meaning into every shift.
See age-by-age examples →Conditions that often co-occur with Tourette's — ADHD, OCD, anxiety, sensory differences.
See age-by-age examples →Involuntary swearing or socially inappropriate words. Affects only a small minority of people with Tourette's, despite the stereotype.
See age-by-age examples →Repeating other people's words (echolalia) or your own (palilalia) as tics.
See age-by-age examples →Therapy approaches that teach awareness of the urge and a competing response. Effective for some — never the only option.
See age-by-age examples →Things that often increase tics: stress, excitement, tiredness, screen time, caffeine, transitions, being watched.
See age-by-age examples →