Tongue-related tics occur via a movement, or sound from the tongue.
Tongue tics may occur as the following (but not limited to):
- Wiggling or sticking out the tongue
- Clicking or popping the tongue
Are tongue tics motor or vocal?
Tongue movements would come under the category of a motor tic.
The NHS lists tongue clicking under vocal tics.
Kids Health includes ‘clicking’ in their examples of vocal tics:
Some examples of vocal tics are throat clearing, making clicking sounds, repeated sniffing, yelping, or shouting.
Clicking may be classed as a motor tic if the premonitory urge is to create a movement with the tongue, with the sound being an unintended consequence.
Tongue tics can disrupt day to day life. They can affect eating, drinking and speech.
Sounds may cause a disruption in environments such as the classroom or workplace and be seen as disruptive by others uneducated on the condition.
It is important for parents to understand the cause of such actions to ensure the individual with tics receives the best care and treatment possible.