[Tics in childhood]

Tics belong to the most frequent hyperkineses of child age. Their prevalence is reported as 4-28%. In our literature tics are still listed in the group of child neuroses although their organic aetiology is generally accepted. Tics are considered a continuum of complaints from transient tics in childhood to Touretté's disease (Gilles de la Tourette syndrome). As part of a catamnestic investigation 131 children with tics were followed up, all hospitalized at the paediatric department of the psychiatric clinic in Olomouc in 1968-1988. A prognostic evaluation was possible in 63 patients at the age of 15-29 years (group B). In the majority of patients the tics manifested themselves first at the age of cca 7 years. The group comprised a large percentage of children with the diagnosis ADDH (58.9%). Dynamic comparison revealed that in recent years the number of children in this group with tics increased. Evaluation of the therapeutic approach before hospital admission during hospitalization and during subsequent ambulatory treatment provided evidence of the further development of the disease, as the development of symptoms and increasing impact of psychosocial consequence frequently called for administration of incisive neuroleptics in ambulatory treatment, administered in subsequent years. The greatest proportion of patients terminated ambulatory treatment at the age of 10-15 years which, however, did not reflect regression of complaints. Prognostic evaluation provided evidence that 38% of the patients recovered completely by the time of the check-up examination, 62% have occasional complaints (relapses persisting for several days), only 14% have permanent manifestations of tics. Some patients need event in adult age prolonged maintenance pharmacotherapy.