Tourette Syndrome is one type of Tic Disorder. Tics are involuntary, repetitive movements and vocalizations. They are the defining feature of a group of childhood-onset, neurodevelopmental conditions known collectively as Tic Disorders and individually as Tourette Syndrome, Chronic Tic Disorder (Motor or Vocal Type), and Provisional Tic Disorder. The three Tic Disorders are distinguished by the types of tics present (motor, vocal/ phonic, or both) and by the length of time that the tics have been present.
Individuals with Tourette Syndrome (TS) have had at least two motor tics and at least one vocal/ phonic tic in some combination over the course of more than a year. By contrast, individuals with Chronic Tic Disorder have either motor tics or vocal tics that have been present for more than a year, and individuals with Provisional Tic Disorder have tics that have been present for less than a year.
Tourette Association has established the Tourette Syndrome Behavior Therapy Institute (TS-BTI). Certificate of completion called comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT).
CBIT is a powerful technique that has been demonstrated to reduce tic severity. This behavioral treatment to help reduce tic severity is a step forward and reflects modern understanding of how the brain can be shaped by the environment. The Tourette Association and the Association’s Behavioral Science Consortium is committed to communicating clearly what this research means so the treatment will be used correctly and effectively.
Since the mid-1960s medication has been the only real treatment option for children and adults with Tic Disorders. However, while helpful for many people, its use is often limited by side effects. In 2001 the Tourette Association of America Behavioral Science Consortium began developing and testing a promising behavioral treatment option. This work has led to the publication of the first large-scale study showing that a non-medication treatment can effectively reduce tic severity. This treatment is called the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics or CBIT (see-bit).
(Adopted from the Tourette Association of America)