Tics at the baby

Some parents report “tics” of their babies, such as a shrug of the shoulders or a shaking of the body. Just as with tics in other age groups, these tics are usually harmless and disappear as spontaneously as they came. The cause of babyhood tics is probably growth in the child’s brain.

The different brain structures and different nerve tracts have to grow and develop after birth. So-called pattern generators, which are necessary for vital functions such as breathing, are “delivered” with the birth. These pattern generators can also trigger rhythmic muscle twitches and must first be finely regulated.

The motor tics can throw the baby out of balance for a short time. A “little tic” could then cause the baby to fall off the changing table, for example. Otherwise, these tics are usually harmless without additional abnormalities. When the growth and maturation of the brain and nerve tracts are complete, the tics usually disappear by themselves.

Tics for adults

Tics without pre-existing conditions are rarer in adults. They can appear similar to those in other age groups, in the form of winking, facial twitching, clearing your throat and the like. If the tics occur in adulthood without previous illness, the same applies as in other age groups.

Mostly they are temporary, harmless and can be aggravated by stress. Adults can learn to control the tics as much as possible through specific perception training. The extent to which this is successful is very individual and depends on various factors.The perception training can be embedded in various relaxation techniques and body awareness exercises.

Individual, professional support is helpful in some cases. Furthermore, it has been observed in some adults that, for example when singing, the tics can disappear for a short time. This could be related to a connection between certain areas of the right hemisphere of the brain. But this has not yet been scientifically proven and is controversially discussed. For some of those affected and their relatives, a visit to a self-help group can provide support.