Tic syndrome: Don’t subjectively think that this is just a bad habit of children!

What is tic syndrome?

Tic syndrome is a movement disorder or an unintentional vocalization that occurs This condition often begins in childhood (before age 5) and is more common in boys than girls. tic syndrome is only temporary and can go away on its own, but there are also cases that follow children into adulthood, seriously affecting their psychological health and quality of life. child’s life.

Signs of tic syndrome in children

There is not a single case of the disorder Which tic is the same? Depending on the type of tic or its severity, the child’s symptoms will be slightly different.

Trouble Motor tic disorders (accounting for about 80%)

– Tic Simple movements: Mainly related to facial and neck muscles with expressions like blinking eyes, blinking continuously, grimacing, shrugging shoulders, wrinkling nose, shaking head, jerking jaw muscles…

– Complex motor tics: Prolonged actions that involve multiple muscle groups and are performed in the same order as lip biting, tongue biting, hair pulling, reaching out to touch something that repeatedly kicks one leg up to continuously imitate the actions of another person.

Symptoms of vocal tic disorder (occupy about 20%)

– Simple sound tics: Meaningless noises such as coughing and clearing throat. throat screams, screams, snores, mumbles in the mouth.

– Complex sound tic: Child repeats words and phrases over and over again meaningless words from themselves or others, and even obscene words that do not fit the context.

In fact, many children have a transition between tics motor and vocal tics or both forms together is called Tourette’s syndrome. The condition can become worse when the child is worried, afraid, tired or overexcited.

Common causes of tic syndrome in young children

Current causes of tics Tic disorders have not yet been clarified. However, according to scientists, some of the following factors can increase the risk of this syndrome in children:

– Gene mutations and abnormal brain structures congenital disorders of brain neurotransmitters such as dopamine serotonine or glutamate…

– Children are at high risk of developing tic disorders if their relatives There is a family history of this disease or the mother abused alcohol, smoked cigarettes, and used stimulants during pregnancy.

– Some Few cases develop tic disorders after streptococcal infection, head trauma, poisoning, stroke, brain virus infection… Or due to side effects of some drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants, antiemetics…

Is tic syndrome dangerous?

Even though tic syndrome It is not as dangerous as other diseases and can go away on its own in new cases that occur less than 1 year ago, but if the condition persists or is not treated completely early, the symptoms of tics can follow the child into adulthood. greatly affects the child’s future work and relationships.

Not only that, children with tic disorders are also at high risk of having other symptoms. Diseases that affect both physical and mental development such as: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder…

5 treatment methods The most common treatment for tic syndrome today

Western medicine

Some drugs affect neurotransmitters to help reduce symptoms of tic disorders such as: pain relievers, antipsychotic drugs (pimozide risperidone aripiprazole …) sedatives (clonazepam …)…< /p>

In addition to the benefits of quickly reducing symptoms, drugs to treat tic disorders still have some potential unwanted effects such as: allergies, vision loss, weight gain, constipation dry mouth, drowsiness, tremors, convulsions… affects the child’s health. Therefore, parents need to be very careful when using medication and should continuously monitor their children to detect and promptly handle unusual symptoms.

Herbal support products

Currently, the use of natural herbs is the direction New in the treatment of tic disorders because of its safety and high effectiveness. Scientific evidence shows that the cause of Tic disorder syndrome in children is often due to an imbalance of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the cerebral cortex.

Meanwhile, a number of active ingredients extracted from the herb Gou Dang An Xi Huong have an indirect effect of reducing endogenous dopamine levels, thereby maintaining stable neurotransmitters in the brain, helping to improve symptoms. Motor language disorders that children often encounter. In fact, it has been proven that many children have improved their tic disorders by consistently using products containing these two herbs. Parents should learn more and apply them to their children at home.

Behavior “reversal” therapy

Behavior reversal is the optimal therapy and is applied to all treatment regimens for tic disorders from mild to severe and is based on the following principles:

– Helps children understand Be clear about your own condition and be self-aware when tic disorders are occurring.

– Monitor the frequency and severity of symptoms of tic disorders. Identify all the sensory states that can trigger a tic. Then find an alternative action to help the child reduce this uncomfortable feeling.

For example: the child often feels discomfort in the throat, so he often making incomprehensible meaningless sounds. If you know this, next time you can ask your child to take deep breaths to gradually reduce the feeling of discomfort.

To enhance the effectiveness of the method. Behavior reversal methods can be combined with relaxation techniques, deep breathing, slow breathing… to help prevent stress and anxiety – factors that often make tic syndrome worse.

Lifestyle changes

A scientific diet plays an important role in improving symptoms of tic disorders, so the Parents should:

– Choose foods rich in Omega-3 such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, walnuts, olive oil, etc.; Rich in Magnesium and vitamin B6 such as green vegetables, beans, whole grains, fruits, nuts, etc., will be good for children. At the same time, limit foods high in sugar, soda, processed foods, etc.

– Avoid stress, worry, and excessive fatigue by encouraging children to do things they like. Establish the habit of sleeping on time (before 11 pm) and getting enough sleep (8 – 10 hours/day). ).

– Don’t mention too much about tic symptoms in front of your child because this can make them more stressed and anxious. And you should share it with people who often have contact with children so they know and don’t overreact.

Tic disorder syndrome is usually not too dangerous, but can lead to psychological barriers that affect your child’s daily communication activities. Therefore, as soon as you see your child showing the above symptoms, you need to take your child to the doctor as soon as possible for an accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment for your child.

Cao Thuy

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