For a long time, many people have wondered what are facial tics? Is there a clear cut definition of what it is and can a parent easily see if his child has it? If someone has facial tics, what should he do? What kind of tests should be taken and is there a kind of medication for curing it? How does one know the kind of facial tics he is suffering from?

Let us try to answer some of these questions and give light to other people who are also baffled by this disorder.

What are Facial Tics?
First, we need to define what is facial tics. Facial tics is sometimes called as facial mimics. The condition is characterized by the sporadic, repetitive and involuntary facial and eye movements. A person who has facial tics cannot control those movements and the disease is quite common to pre school and elementary children. Statistically, it is also more common in boys than girls.

What are the symptoms?
A person with facial mimics can have involuntary movements over a period of time. Most commonly, the body parts involved are the eyes, face muscles (cheeks, nose, chin, forehead) and sometimes even the neck and shoulders. Fast and continuous eye blinking, mouth twitching, nose wrinkling are often the involved movements. In some cases, there would be eye-rolling or even sound making (grunting and slight moaning).

What to do?:
If you notice your child has the symptoms, it is best to bring him to a doctor for analysis. Examining a person with facial tics is not complicated. No tests are required. The doctor would only observe the patient. However, the doctor may also suggest other tests to rule out other possibilities like seizures.

What is the treatment?
For temporary (transient tics) facial tics that usually last for weeks or a few months, there is actually no treatment. The tics may disappear over time without any cure. As for the chronic motor tics, some doctors may recommend some stress-relieving medications since stress can be one of the causes for this condition.

Most important of all, children who have facial tics should not be criticized nor teased. A hostile environment should be avoided because stress can aggravate the condition. A loving and supportive environment for the child should be provided at all times and facial tics can be hastened to disappear.