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Neurodevelopmental

Tourette's syndrome

Multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tick for more than one year, beginning before age 18. They vary in intensity and usually improve in adulthood.

Common signs

Blinking, grimacing or sudden movementsThroat clearing, sounds or wordsAn urge felt before the tic

Tips

For you

  1. Avoid drawing attention to the tics
  2. Ask about behavioural intervention for tics (CBIT)
  3. Inform the school to prevent teasing

For family and friends

  1. Don't draw attention to the tics
  2. Explain to the people around them what tics are to prevent teasing

When to ask for help

  1. If the tics cause pain or injury
  2. If anxiety, obsessions or attention problems appear

Guidance test

Answer thinking about the last few weeks. There are 8 questions and you get your result straight away. Your answers are not saved or sent.

0 of 8
1. I make sudden movements I can't stop (blinking, grimacing, jerks)
2. I make sounds without meaning to (throat clearing, grunts, words)
3. I feel an urge before doing the tic
4. I can hold back the tics for a while, but then they come back
5. The tics increase with stress or tiredness
6. The tics make me feel ashamed
7. The tics have caused me problems in class or at work
8. I have had the tics for more than a year

Free resources

Downloadable PDF sheetSigns, tips and resources to print or saveFree guide: Childhood and youthFree resource from Clínica Vivaldi

Related disorders

Intellectual disabilityNeurodevelopmentalGlobal developmental delayNeurodevelopmentalLanguage disorderNeurodevelopmentalSpeech sound disorderNeurodevelopmental

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Reviewed by María Teresa Fernández Vicente, health psychologist and neuropsychologist (registration no. CV17304), in November 2026. Educational information prepared by the Clínica Vivaldi team based on the DSM-5-TR classification. It does not replace a professional assessment and cannot be used to diagnose.