Tourette Syndrome: Simple Tics vs. Complex Tics

Has your child been diagnosed with Tourette syndrome? As a parent, you’re likely upset and anxious about the diagnosis. You may not be completely surprised if you or someone in your family has the condition, as it’s a heritable disorder. 

Your child may be displaying a variety of tics. If you aren’t familiar with Tourette syndrome, you want to learn as much as you can about your child’s disorder to help them manage it. 

Our board-certified pediatric neurologist, Dr. Charles Niesen, and our team at AMS Neurology in Pasadena, California, treat children with Tourette syndrome with compassion and a wealth of expertise. 

Here, Dr. Niesen explains simple tics versus complex tics. Each of these kinds of tics can present via your child’s motor system and/or vocal cords. 

Simple motor tics 

Motor tics are involuntary body movements. Simple tics use limited muscle groups and are sudden, repetitive movements. 

You may have initially seen tics in your child’s head or neck. For example, they might grimace for no obvious reason or jerk their head a certain way. The following are some common simple motor tics: 

• Eye blinking 
• Eye rolling 
• Squinting
• Raising eyebrows
• Nose twitching
• Facial grimacing
• Moving their jaw
• Moving their lips
• Shoulder shrugging
• Arm jerking
• Head or shoulder jerking or twisting

Tics vary. Your child may roll their eyes one day and shrug their shoulders another. Frequency and severity are also subject to change. 

Motor tics usually occur first, before vocal tics. Your young child can’t control their tics. 

Simple vocal tics

Vocal tics are sudden, repetitive, involuntary sounds. Like motor tics, they vary in frequency and severity. Common simple vocal tics include the following:

• Repetitive throat clearing
• Sniffing
• Barking
• Grunting
• Coughing 
• Snorting
• Squeaking
• Whistling

Complex motor tics

Complex tics activate muscle groups in different parts of your child’s body. Your child might roll their eyes while twisting their neck. Movement with these tics is slower than with simple tics and appears coordinated. Your child may feel they must perform the movement in a certain way or a certain number of times for the urge to dissipate. 

Complex tics are less frequent than simple tics, sometimes following simple tics. These are common complex motor tics: 

• Sniffing or touching an object
• Hopping
• Jumping
• Kicking
• Twisting

Complex vocal tics 

Complex vocal tics may include:

• Repeating your own words or phrases (palilalia)
• Repeating others' words or phrases (echolalia)
• Using obscene or swear words (coprolalia)

Treatment for Tourette syndrome

Effective treatment for Tourette syndrome includes cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps your child identify when a tic is about to occur and develop strategies to calm or interrupt the tic. Medications can also help reduce symptoms. 

Call AMS Neurology or book an appointment online today if you suspect your child has Tourette syndrome. We can help your child develop to their full potential.