Alternative Names
Tic – transient tic disorder
Definition of Transient tic disorder
Transient tic disorder is a temporary condition in which a person makes one or many brief, repeated, difficult to control movements or noises (tics).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Transient tic disorder is common in children.
Symptoms
The child may have or tics involving movement of the arms, legs, or other areas.
Signs and tests
The health care provider should consider physical causes of transient tic disorder before making a diagnosis.
Treatment
Health care providers recommend that family members do NOT call attention to the tics at first, because unwanted attention may make the tics worse. If tics are severe enough to cause problems in school or work, behavioral techniques and medications may help.
Expectations (prognosis)
Simple childhood tics usually disappear over a period of months.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Department of Anatomy at UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 3/21/2010
