Tics in Children - When to Treat

Описание: I have often seen parents in my clinic seeking treatment for their child’s Tourette’s or Tic Disorder. Usually parents are concerned about their child’s tics. They may hope the tics will simply go away (sometimes they do) or they may worry about the effect the tics will have on their child’s social, emotional, or even physical health (some tics are painful). Parents typically do not know much about CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics), but they may have been advised by a pediatrician or neurologist to seek this treatment for their child. However, there are a couple of important questions to ask:

1. Does the child want to engage in treatment for their tics?

2. Does the child actually need treatment for their tics?

Children do not often request treatment (they are used to their parents taking care of such things), but they may complain about their tics to their parents. In such cases, it is likely the child will actually want to do treatment, so it may be a good time to start!

If a child does not want to do treatment, though, then I would definitely not recommend trying to force it at that time. We can help inform them of their options and then they will be able to decide later when they are ready!

Sometimes teachers are the ones that bring it to the attention of parents because the tics may be more frequent or more intense at school than they are elsewhere. The child may not be bothered by their tics, though, so it may not be the right time to begin treatment. However, it likely IS a good time for the parents to learn about tics and how to advocate for their child’s needs in the school setting and a good time to help the school personnel learn about tic disorders and what they can do to help the child!