So, what’s the cause of this bizarre onset of tics?
“What these teen girls have are called functional tics—it’s a functional neurological disorder,” explains Dr. Danoun. “We’ve seen this before in children who have parents or siblings with seizures. They’ll develop functional seizures. The brain imitates what it sees. It’s used as an escape mechanism.”
What’s the treatment for these tics?
According to Henry Ford Health, the main course of treatment is “cognitive behavioral therapy.” A patient will talk with therapists on a regular basis to learn how to better express themselves, what their feeling, and what they’re experiencing.
When the patients are under a common amount of stress and anxiety, the therapist helps the patient talk about the situation and healthy ways to deal with those situations.
While it can be assumed that these teen girls are simply copying other girls or making up these tics, parents are encouraged to take their children very seriously. The tics are still troubling and serious.
“These teens don’t intend to take on tic-like behaviors, and so they become distressed when their families or medical professionals just dismiss them or even doubt them,” Dr. Aldosari mentions. “The worst message they can get is that they’re ‘faking it.’”
What can parents do to help?
Again, parents should pay attention to what their children are saying. Stress and expectations can play a harmful role in this process.
Doctors stress the importance of limiting electronics — screen time and social media. “Whether your child has not yet begun using social media or already spends a lot of time on it, have the conversation now about the risks of being online too much — not just tics but everything from self-esteem issues to doom scrolling to sleep problems,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Do your best to be careful about how you introduce social media, what sites your child uses and who they follow and their overall amount of exposure to social media,” Dr. Aldosari explains. “Kids who are anxious or heavily influenced by others may need more counsel and moderation ahead of time — before they ever get to this point.”