Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding the ConnectionRelated ConditionsTics and ADHD MedicationTreatmentCoping With ADHD and Tics
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Understanding the Connection
Related Conditions
Tics and ADHD Medication
Treatment
Coping With ADHD and Tics
Close
These movements and/or vocalizations may occur frequently throughout the day or they may occur only occasionally. They tend to increase under excitement, physical or social stress, anxiety, or if the individual is very tired. Some medications are also believed to exacerbate tics.
Tics occur in about 20% of school-age children. Approximately one in five children aged 6-17 years old may develop a tic, but may sometimes start as early as two years of age.
Tics can sometimes occur alongside ADHD, which may lead some people to wonder if the two conditions might be related. This article discusses how the two conditions are related, other conditions that may commonly co-occur, and how tics can be treated.
The Connection Between ADHD and Tics
A 2016 study found that 35–90% of children with Tourettes also hadADHD.Research has found that chronic tic disorders, Tourette syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder may share some underlying genetic and neurological origins, and an individual with any of these conditions is also quite likely to have ADHD.
In children who develop tic disorders and ADHD, ADHD usually develops two to three years before tics.
Tic disorders do appear to have a genetic link, as they tend to run in families, and have also been linked to environmental factors. They also tend to co-occur with certain conditions, which may be due to shared underlying genetic factors.
Chronic tic disorders affect about one percent of children and may indicate a more serious disorder called Tourette syndrome (TS).
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette syndrome is a genetic, neurological disorder whose primary manifestations are the presence of motor and vocal tics. Tourettes is commonly associated with ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, behavior problems, and learning disabilities.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that approximately 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of Tourettes, while as many as one in 100 display Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders.
Though Tourettes is a lifelong condition, symptoms tend to peak during the early teenage years with improvement in later adolescence and adulthood. Tourettes affect men approximately three to four times more often than women.
Autism
Autistic people sometimes experience tics or Tourette syndrome. This can cause uncontrollable body movements and vocalizations. According to one study, an estimated 9% to 12% of autistic people have tics.
Another 2017 study found that between 3% and 20% of autistic people have Tourette syndrome.
There has been some controversy over whether stimulants, the most common form ofmedication therapy for ADHD, worsen or even cause tics. Studies indicate that most children with co-occurring tics and ADHD do not experience an increase in tic severity while on low to moderate doses of stimulants.
However, there does appear to be a small proportion of children for whom this is a problem. It is not clear if the stimulants actually cause the tic or if the stimulants trigger tics that were already pre-existing, but not yet obvious.
It is also possible that tic disorders may look similar to ADHD in their early stages. So the tic may have developed whether or not the child had been treated with stimulants.
If your child with ADHD develops tics, report it to your child’s doctor. Together you will weigh the risks and potential benefits of different medications, as well as explore alternative medicines to stimulants.
Treatment for ADHD and Tics
There are treatments that can help people with ADHD manage symptoms of tics. Interventions to manage ADHD differ from treatments for tics, so it is important to get the right treatment for each condition.
ADHD Treatments
Characteristics of ADHD are typically managed through the use of medication and behavior interventions. These can help people function more effectively in their environments. Stimulant medications are often prescribed, but non-stimulant options are also available.
Tic Treatments
There are a few different treatment options that can help people manage tics. Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) is a treatment that includes psychoeducation, relaxation techniques, and identifying triggers.Habit reversal therapy (HR) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) can also be helpful.
Medications may also be helpful for managing tics. The older “typical” neuroleptics such as pimozide and Haldol are often used to reduce tics, in addition to the newer “atypical” neuroleptics/antipsychotics such as risperidone.
Clonidine and guanfacine, types of anti-hypertensive agents, may also be used for mild to moderate tics and may be better tolerated than the neuroleptics.
A Word From Verywell
ADHD does not cause tics, but the two can co-occur. It is not uncommon for people with ADHD to have tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome. Other conditions, including autism and OCD, also often occur with tic or tic-like behaviors.
In some cases, ADHD medications appear to play a role in the onset of tic symptoms, although further research is needed to explore the connection.
If you are experiencing symptoms of ADHD or tics, talk to your doctor. They can evaluate your symptoms and recommend treatments that can help you manage your symptoms more effectively.
12 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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