A guide to childhood motor stereotypies, tic disorders and the tourette spectrum for the primary care practitioner

Abstract

Movement disorders presenting in childhood are often complex and a heterogenous group of difficulties which can be a minefield for the primary care doctor. The recent activities of the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome (ESSTS) have included publication of European clinical guidelines for Tourette syndrome and other Tic disorders aimed at guiding paediatricians and psychiatrists in managing these children. This paper aims to summarise the key points for primary care teams and impart important facts and general information on related childhood movement disorders in early development.

Keywords: Tourette; childhood; movement; stereotypies; tics.

Fig 1

Secondary stereotypy affecting arms and face Photo kindly reproduced with permission from parents and Tandem clinic Evelina Children's hospital, London

Fig 2

Differentiating between tics and stereotypies Barry S, Baird G, Lascelles K, Bunton P, Hedderly T. Neuro-developmental Movement Disorders -An Update on Childhood Motor Stereotypies. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2011; 53(11): 979-85