Rapid onset functional tic_like behaviours in children and adolescents during COVID-19: Clinical features, assessment and biopsychosocial treatment approach

Abstract

AIM: To report the prevalence and clinical characteristics of children with rapid onset functional tic-like behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Single centre, retrospective cohort study of children (<18_years) referred to the tic clinic from January 2018 to July 2021. We calculate the prevalence of newly diagnosed functional tics, and compare the clinical features to chronic tic disorder/Tourette syndrome (CTD/TS). RESULTS: A total of 185 new patients were referred to the tic clinic between 2018 and 2021. There was a significant increase in the percentage of functional tics in 2020 and 2021 (2% in 2018, 5.6% in 2019, 10.6% in 2020 and 36% in 2021). Differences between functional tics (n=22) and CTD/TS (n=163) include female predominance (100 vs. 28%, P