Tics and Tourette Syndrome (TS)

Epidemiology and Age of Onset of Tics

Simple or transient tics are very common, affecting between 6% and 20% of children. Tics rarely begin before the age of three years, usually manifesting between 5 to 15 years of age, with the majority of patients affected by age 8. Initially tics are typically simple, motor more often than vocal, but can become more complex over time.1-4 TS is more frequently in males than in females: a ratio of about 2 or 4 to 1. The disorder occurs worldwide and affects about 0.1% to 1.0% of individuals in the general population.5,6