Tourette & Tic Disorders Checklist
Check the criteria that apply. Simplified checklist for self-reflection — not a diagnosis.
Screenshot to save for yourself
This simplified checklist shows patterns indicative of Tourette, Persistent Tic Disorder, or Provisional Tic Disorder. Not a professional diagnosis.
Differentiating between Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders
The DSM-5 was briefly mentioned above, this publication describes the tic-disorders that are diagnosed today.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) is published by the American Psychiatrics Association and the most up to date publication.
The DSM classification is used to diagnose various mental disorders. It will help us understand what each of these tic disorders consists of and what makes them unique.
Everyone with Tourette has tics, but not all tics indicate Tourette syndrome. A Tourette diagnosis requires both motor (movement) and vocal (sounds, words, or phrases) tics that have persisted for more than one year.
The DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association, classifies three main tic disorders:
Tourette Syndrome
- Multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics present at some time.
- Tics may wax and wane but last over a year.
Persistent (Chronic) Tic Disorder
- Only motor or only vocal tics are present, not both.
- Tics last more than a year, and criteria for Tourette are never met.
Provisional Tic Disorder
- Motor and/or vocal tics lasting less than one year.
- Diagnosis can change if tics persist beyond one year
Other requirements for diagnosis:
- Onset before age 18.
- Tics are not caused by substances or other medical conditions.
It seems to me, that Tourette is generally the most severe, followed by Persistent Tic Disorder, then Provisional Tic Disorder. This isn’t necessarily down to severity as someone with persistent tics may have a smaller variety of tics, but more severe than someone with many types of tics that are fairly subtle.
The duration and combination of tics determine the specific diagnosis.
Sources:
1. American Psychiatric Association. Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria : from DSM-5 by American Psychiatric Association.