This week on childmind.org we’re taking a look at tics and tic disorders: What they are, how they’re treated, and what parents should (and shouldn’t) do when a child develops a tic.
Tics are small, repetitive sounds or movements. They’re quite common, but when a child first develops a tic, parents are often understandably worried. The good news is that the majority aren’t serious and go away on their own. And those that don’t are usually treatable with a specialized form of behavioral therapy called habit reversal therapy, or HRT. Parental anxiety, passed along to children, can actually make tics worse, so the key for parents is to stay calm, and get kids treatment if and when they need it.
