Tics are sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic movements or vocalisations.
Usually, tics appear in bouts, waxing and waning in frequency, intensity, number, complexity, and kind of tic.
The four main properties of tics are:
- Can be provoked by the cues in the surrounding
- Typically, a child feels that performing the tic is essentially a voluntary action
- Consequently, a child may be able to suppress tics for a period of time
- Over time, children learn to recognise the so-called premonitory urge or tension, preceding the bout of tics – this may help in performing tic-suppressing exercises before they manage to get through
