Emergency room visits are on the rise for this condition

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released two new reports on changes in pediatric emergency department visits. The findings: Overall, there was a decrease in pediatric visits in 2020, 2021 and 2022 compared to 2019, but an increase in the weekly number and proportion of visits for certain conditions, including behavioral health concerns.

Females between the ages of 12-17 accounted for the largest increase in visits, with tic disorders being one of the conditions seen more frequently in 2020, 2021 and 2022 than in 2019.

Dr. Nishant Shah, division director of pediatric neurology at Advocate Children’s Hospital, says tic disorders are characterized by the following:

• Motor tics: Sudden, brief, intermittent movements such as eye blinking, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging and head jerking
• Phonic or vocal tics: Utterances such as grunting, barking, moaning, throat clearing, sniffing, obscene words and repetition of words.

Tic disorders can be identified in children as young as 3 years old. While the CDC says it’s difficult to identify a reason behind the increase in tic disorder emergency room visits in the 12-17 year-old population, the report points to the stressors brought on by the pandemic, including extended time at home, financial strain, grief, etc.

Dr. Shah affirms that tic disorders are commonly aggravated by stress, illness, sleep deprivation, growth spurts and puberty.

“Triggers are quite unique for each individual,” he explains. “For instance, stress, nervousness and anxiety can be a trigger for some. For others, tics are noticed when they are engrossed in activities such as playing a video game.”

While there is no cure for tics, there are medications that can suppress or temporarily eliminate tics.

“Typically, medications are used when the tics are significantly disruptive for the child and are interfering with their day-to-day functioning,” says Dr. Shah. He adds that older children, typically those 10 years of age and above, may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy to train the brain.

Dr. Shah says a significant proportion of children do not require specific treatment and will actually outgrow tics.

“This neurological condition is somewhat unique in the sense that the natural history provides a more favorable outlook to outgrow the condition. Many children with tics show remarkable improvements or resolution over a period of time without any interventions. That period of time can vary from months to years, but children typically improve or resolve by 20 years of age. However, for some, tics may persist in adulthood.”

If you believe your child or teen has a tic disorder, speak with their pediatrician, who can help refer you to a specialist.

Now is the perfect time to make an appointment with a primary care physician. Whether you live in Illinois or Wisconsin, it’s easy to find a doctor near you.