Key points
- There are three main types of tic disorders.
- Health professionals consider the type of tic present and how long the symptoms have lasted to diagnosis a specific tic disorder.
- Talk to your child's healthcare provider if your child makes sudden and repeated twitches, movements, or sounds.
Why diagnosis is important
Although there is no cure for tic disorders, there are treatments available to help manage the tics. Medication and behavioral treatments are available if tics cause pain or injury; interfere with school, work, or social life; or cause stress.
Types of tic disorders
The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5-TR) is used by health professionals to help diagnose tic disorders.1
Three tic disorders are included in the DSM-5-TR:1
- Tourette syndrome (TS, sometimes called Tourette disorder)
- People with Tourette syndrome have both motor and vocal tics and have had tic symptoms for at least 1 year.
- Persistent (sometimes called chronic) motor or vocal tic disorder
- People with persistent motor or vocal tic disorders have either motor or vocal tics and have had tic symptoms for at least 1 year.
- Provisional tic disorder
- People with provisional tic disorders can have motor or vocal tics, or both, but have had their symptoms less than 1 year.
To be diagnosed with a Tic disorder, a person must:
|
Tic Disorders |
Diagnostic Criteria |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Types | Tics Present* | Duration of tics | Tics Present | Exclusion criteria |
| Tourette syndrome (TS) | ≥ 2 motor tics and ≥ 1 vocal tics | ≥ 1 year | <18 years | Have symptoms that are not due to taking medicine or other drugs or due to having another medical condition (for example, seizures, Huntington disease, or post-viral encephalitis). |
| Persistent (chronic) motor or vocal tic disorder | ≥ 1 motor tics or ≥ 1 vocal tics | ≥ 1 year |
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| Provisional tic disorder | ≥ 1 motor tics and/or ≥ 1 vocal tics | < 1 year |
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*More information on motor and vocal tics here: About Tourette Syndrome
Sudden onset of tics and tic-like behaviors
Sometimes people have a sudden onset of tics or tic-like behaviors that look like tics, but that are distinctly different from those typically seen in Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders.
The people who develop these tic-like behaviors are often experiencing movement symptoms for the first time, with no reported history of tics. These types of tic-like behaviors are more common among teenagers and more often seen in girls than boys. Sometimes these tics can happen in groups of children. These tic-like behaviors can also be referred to as "functional tic-like behaviors" and "functional neurological disorder."
In some children, tics may suddenly appear, or suddenly become worse, following a streptococcal (strep) infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever.
Many experts believe the sudden onset of tics and tic-like behaviors can happen for different reasons, and tic-like behaviors may need different treatment compared to tic disorders including Tourette syndrome. The best first step is usually to talk to a healthcare provider who is familiar with tics and get a thorough assessment.
What to do when your child is diagnosed with Tourette syndrome
Taking an active role, learning about Tourette syndrome (TS), and understanding treatment and ways to manage symptoms can help you make the best possible choices for your child and for your family.
- Talk to your child's healthcare provider about any questions or concerns you may have.
- Learn as much as you can about TS. You can start by finding more information from CDC on: About TS, treatments, and other concerns & conditions.
- Ask your child's healthcare provider about concerns and symptoms beyond tics. Most children with TS also have been diagnosed with at least one additional mental, behavioral, or developmental condition and these conditions often add to stress and difficulty in managing health care. Many children with TS also experience learning difficulties. Getting proper treatment and coordinated care is very important.
- Visit the website of the Tourette Association of America (TAA) to find information, resources, newsletters, videos, and more. In addition, TAA can be helpful with finding local healthcare providers.
Finding support
Parenting is often challenging and parenting a child with a chronic condition like TS can add additional stress to the day-to-day challenges. If you are the parent of a child with TS, it might be helpful to talk with other parents who have a child with the same condition, to share concerns and information. Similarly, if you are an adult with TS, talking to other adults with TS might be helpful.
Remember that the choices for another family might not be best for your family, so it's important to understand all options and discuss them with your healthcare providers.
Tourette Association of America (TAA)
- Your local TAA chapter can help you connect with other families through conferences, support groups and other events.
Parent to Parent USA
- Parent-to-Parent Programs provide information and emotional support to families of children who have special needs.
- American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2022.
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). PANS and PANDAS: Questions and Answers. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/pandas. Accessed on May 30, 2025.