Abstract
Persistent tic disorders, including Tourette disorder, are highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders that can be debilitating for the many children and adolescents afflicted worldwide. Psychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), frequently co-occur and may have an impact on the course and outcome in these youth. The onset of tics is typically around age 5 to 6 years, followed by fluctuating symptoms that peak around ages 9 to 12 years. Most youth experience attenuation of tics in later adolescence, but predictors of who may remain symptomatic are few. The first questions that nearly all parents ask upon receiving a Tourette disorder diagnosis are: Will my child have tics forever? How bad will they get? Will the tics go away after treatment?
