Picture this: your child’s been prescribed medication for their tics, but you’re wrestling with a storm of questions. Will it actually help? What about those side effects you’ve read about online? You’re not alone in this maze of uncertainty—countless parents find themselves caught between wanting relief for their child and fearing the unknown territory of pharmaceutical intervention.
Understanding your options doesn’t have to be intimidating. Whether you’re considering functional medicine for the first time or looking to optimize your child’s current assistance plan, knowledge becomes your most powerful tool in making informed decisions that truly serve your family’s needs.
Key Takeaways
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Medications provide limited results: Most tic medications only reduce symptoms, according to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. They suppress symptoms rather than address the underlying causes.
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Side effects often outweigh benefits: Common medications for tics (antipsychotics, SSRIs, blood pressure medications) frequently cause personality changes, weight gain, mood swings, and drowsiness that can feel worse than the original tics.
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Root causes are often overlooked; functional medicine testing reveals that tics frequently stem from gut dysfunction, food sensitivities, chronic inflammation, environmental toxins, and nutrient deficiencies—factors that conventional medicine rarely investigates.
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Natural approaches show promising results: Many families report significant improvement within 3-6 months by addressing diet, gut health, and environmental triggers, with some children becoming completely tic-free without the need for medications.
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Comprehensive testing is crucial: Instead of guessing, functional medicine practitioners use targeted tests to assess gut health, food sensitivities, genetic mutations such as MTHFR, and toxin levels, creating personalized treatment plans.
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Parents’ observations matter: Keeping a tic diary and trusting your instincts about triggers, such as certain foods, stress, or environmental factors, can provide valuable insights that lead to breakthrough improvements in your child’s condition.
Table of Contents
Understanding Medication and Tics: Beyond the Prescription
You’re sitting in your pediatrician’s office, and they’re sliding a recommendation across the desk with the casual confidence of someone ordering coffee. “This should help with the tics,“ they say, but you’re thinking—should? That’s not precisely the reassuring certainty you were hoping for.
The reality is that medication for tics isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s more like trying to solve a complex puzzle where every piece represents a different aspect of your child’s unique biology, environment, and underlying health patterns.
The Conventional Approach: What You’re Really Getting
When doctors recommend medication for tics, they’re typically reaching for one of several categories. SSRIs (like Zoloft or Prozac) might be suggested, even though they’re primarily antidepressants. Antipsychotics such as risperidone or haloperidol often make the list—yes, the same medications used for schizophrenia. Blood pressure medications, such as clonidine, round out the usual suspects.
Here’s what they don’t always tell you: These medications are essentially indicator suppressors, not root-cause solutions. Think of it like turning down the volume on a smoke alarm instead of putting out the fire. The alarm might be quieter, but the underlying problem remains.
Why the “Trial and Error“ Approach Feels Like a Nightmare
Most parents describe the trial-and-error journey as exhausting. You’ll start with one recommendation, wait 4-6 weeks to see if it works, and then deal with potential side effects (such as weight gain, drowsiness, or mood changes). If it doesn’t work, try something else.
One mom from Colorado told me her 8-year-old tried four different medications over 18 months before finding something that provided mild improvement. Meanwhile, he gained 20 pounds, struggled with concentration at school, and developed sleep issues that hadn’t existed before.
The Functional Medicine Lens: What’s Really Happening
Chronic inflammation in the brain and gut can trigger or worsen tics, but conventional medicine rarely addresses this connection. When you’re dealing with PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) or PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), the tics might be your child’s immune system essentially attacking their brain tissue.
Environmental toxins, food sensitivities, and gut dysfunction create a perfect storm of inflammation that no amount of indicator-suppressing medication can truly fix. It’s like trying to calm a raging river by building a dam downstream—you might contain some of the overflow, but the source keeps rushing.
The Questions Your Doctor Might Not Ask
Before reaching for that recommendation pad, consider what’s not being investigated:
What’s your child eating daily? Food dyes, artificial additives, and inflammatory foods can fuel tics in sensitive kids. Red dye #40 alone has been linked to increased hyperactivity and behavioral issues in multiple studies.
How’s their gut health? Approximately 70% of the immune system’s function occurs in the gut. If your child has chronic constipation, frequent stomach aches, or a history of multiple antibiotic courses, their gut microbiome might be crying for help.
Are there hidden infections? Strep, mold exposure, Lyme disease, or other pathogens can trigger autoimmune responses that show up as tics, obsessive behaviors, or sudden personality changes.
Making Peace with the Gray Area
Look, I’m not here to demonize tic medication entirely. Sometimes it provides crucial relief while you’re working on underlying issues. But you deserve to understand what you’re signing up for—and more importantly, what other options exist.
The most successful families I’ve worked with use medication as one tool in a larger toolkit, not the entire solution. They use it strategically while simultaneously addressing nutrition, reducing their child’s toxic load, and supporting their child’s natural improvement processes.
Remember: You’re not just managing tics. You’re supporting a whole child whose brain and body are crying out for balance.
The Big Myth: Tics Are Purely Neurological
One of the most persistent misconceptions in tics management is that these behaviors stem purely from neurological wiring, and that medications or “just ignore it“ are your only real options.
The Truth About Medications for Tics
Here’s something your doctor might not tell you straight out: most medications prescribed for tics weren’t actually designed for tics at all.
Off-label prescriptions are the norm, not the exception. When your child’s pediatrician reaches for antipsychotics like Risperdal or blood pressure medications like Clonidine, they’re using these drugs off-label. Think of it like using a hammer to fix a watch—it might work temporarily, but it’s not the right tool for the job.
According to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, these medications may reduce tics, but the tics remain noticeable. Additionally, symptoms may worsen over time when the underlying cause is not addressed.
The side effects can feel worse than the tics themselves. Parents regularly report mood swings that turn their sweet kid into someone they barely recognize. Personality changes. Weight gain that affects their child’s self-esteem. Some kids even experience worsening tics as their bodies adjust to the medication.
Most medications offer temporary relief at best. They’re indicator suppressors, not problem solvers. While they might provide some breathing room for your family, they rarely address the root causes that triggered the tics in the first place.
This doesn’t mean medicating is always wrong—sometimes that temporary relief is exactly what your child needs. But understanding these limitations helps you make informed decisions about whether there might be other pieces of the puzzle worth exploring.
Why Medications Aren’t the Full Answer
While conventional medications can provide temporary relief, they’re essentially putting a Band-Aid on a deeper wound. The real challenge lies in understanding why these treatments fall short of offering lasting solutions.
The Risks of Long-Term Medication Use
Think about it: your child’s been on medications for months, maybe even years. You’ve watched them cycle through different prescriptions, each promising relief but delivering a mixed bag of results and side effects.
Here’s what many parents discover the hard way:
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Medication Type |
Common Use for Tics |
Potential Side Effects |
|---|---|---|
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SSRIs |
Mood stabilization |
Mood swings, weight gain |
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Antipsychotics |
Tic suppression |
Personality changes, sedation |
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Stimulants |
Attention regulation |
Increased tics, anxiety |
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Blood pressure meds |
Off-label tic control |
Dizziness, fatigue |
The personality shift hits hardest. Many parents report their child becoming a “different person” on antipsychotics—more withdrawn, less creative, or emotionally flat. One mom described it as watching her spirited 10-year-old become “a zombie version of himself.“
Even worse is the tolerance trap. As your child’s body adapts to the medication, you’ll likely need higher doses to maintain the reduction in tics symptoms. It’s like chasing a moving target that keeps getting further away.
The hidden cost of indicator suppression becomes clearer over time. While the medication masks the tics, the underlying inflammation—whether from food sensitivities, gut dysfunction, or environmental toxins—continues to simmer beneath the surface.
These medications weren’t initially designed for tics. They’re all off-label uses, meaning doctors are essentially experimenting with treatments developed for entirely different conditions. It’s like using a hammer when what you really need is a screwdriver—it might work temporarily, but it’s not the right tool for the job.
Functional Medicine: A Root-Cause Approach to Tics
Functional medicine shifts the focus from suppression to solutions by addressing the underlying causes of tic disorders. By using data-driven testing, practitioners can create individualized plans that tackle inflammation, gut health, and environmental triggers.
How Functional Medicine Works for Tics
Test, don’t guess — that’s the mantra functional medicine practitioners live by. And honestly? It’s about time someone took this approach with tics.
Instead of throwing medications at signs and hoping something sticks, functional medicine digs deep with comprehensive testing. Your practitioner will examine gut health (think microbiome imbalances and candida overgrowth), genetic mutations like MTHFR variants, nutrient deficiencies including magnesium and vitamin B6, environmental toxins such as heavy metals and mold exposure, and food sensitivities to gluten and dairy.
Based on these test results, practitioners develop personalized protocols tailored specifically to your child’s unique biology. These might include dietary changes, targeted supplements, and detoxification strategies — all designed to address what’s actually causing the tics rather than masking them.
The results speak for themselves. Take Logan, for example — he ditched medications entirely and addressed his root causes. He went from constant tics to becoming a college football MVP. That’s the difference between covering up signs and actually improving the underlying issues.
Common Root Causes of Tics
Here’s what functional medicine typically uncovers when it comes to tic triggers:
|
Root Cause |
Impact on Tics |
Functional Medicine Solution |
|---|---|---|
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Chronic Inflammation |
Triggers neurological signs |
Anti-inflammatory diet, omega-3s |
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Gut Dysfunction |
Disrupts the brain-gut axis |
Probiotics, gut-improvement protocols |
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Food Sensitivities |
Increases inflammation and tics |
Elimination diets (e.g., gluten-free) |
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Environmental Toxins |
Overloads the immune system |
Detoxification, reducing exposure |
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Nutrient Deficiencies |
Impairs neurological function |
Targeted supplementation (e.g., magnesium) |
Chronic inflammation sits at the top of the list for good reason. When your child’s body is constantly fighting inflammation, it creates a perfect storm for neurological signs like tics. The brain and gut communicate continually through what’s called the vagus nerve — so when gut dysfunction disrupts this brain-gut axis, tics often follow.
Food sensitivities are another major player that conventional medicine often overlooks. Many parents discover their child’s tics dramatically improve when they remove gluten, dairy, or other inflammatory foods from their diet. It’s not about being trendy — it’s about reducing the inflammatory load on your child’s system.
Environmental toxins create what functional medicine practitioners call “total toxic load“ — basically, your child’s body can only handle so much before it starts breaking down. Heavy metals, mold exposure, and chemical toxins can overload the immune system and trigger tics as the body struggles to cope.
Nutrient deficiencies round out the picture. Magnesium deficiency alone has been linked to increased tic severity, while B6 deficiency can impair the production of neurotransmitters. When you address these deficiencies through targeted supplementation, many families see significant improvements in their child’s tics.
Success Stories: Reversing Tics Naturally
Real families have found relief through functional medicine approaches that go beyond medication, and their stories might surprise you.
Logan’s Transformation
Logan’s mother watched helplessly as her son’s tics persisted well into high school. Doctors had promised they’d disappear, but instead, they were stealing his confidence and social life. The medications weren’t working. The “wait and see“ approach felt like torture.
That’s when Logan’s family discovered functional medicine. Testing revealed gluten sensitivity and gut dysfunction—connections no one had explored before. By addressing these root causes, Logan’s tics gradually faded. He went on to excel as a college athlete, something that seemed impossible during his worst tic periods.
A Mother’s Medical Journey
Dr. Piper Gibson faced every parent’s nightmare when her son was diagnosed with a transient neurological tic over 13 years ago. The irony is, she’s a doctor herself, yet conventional treatments failed her child.
Conventional medicine gave her Band-Aid solutions that didn’t stick. So she dove into functional medicine, uncovering hidden triggers and inflammatory pathways. Today, her son is tic-free and thriving, and was even offered a job as a firefighter—a physically demanding career that would have been unthinkable during his tic episodes.
The Pattern Behind Success
These aren’t isolated benefits. They’re examples of what happens when you address the why behind tics instead of just suppressing signs.
Both families discovered that tics often stem from:
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Gut dysfunction and food sensitivities
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Chronic inflammation in the brain-gut axis
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Hidden infections or toxin exposure
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Nutrient deficiencies affecting neurological function
What Makes the Difference
These success stories share common threads. First, comprehensive testing revealed specific triggers unique to each child. Second, personalized assistance plans addressed multiple factors simultaneously, rather than focusing on just one potential cause.
The timeline? Most families notice improvements within 3 to 6 months of implementing targeted interventions. Complete resolution often takes 12-18 months, but the progressive improvement keeps families motivated and encourages them to continue.
Beyond the Success Stories
These families didn’t just see tics disappear. They witnessed improvements in sleep quality, mood stability, focus, and overall energy levels. When you address root causes, the ripple effects extend far beyond tic reduction.
Their children became more confident, social, and academically successful. The stress that had consumed entire households began to lift as families found hope in a different approach to improvement.
Common Mistakes Parents Make (And How to Avoid Them)
When your child’s tics feel overwhelming, it’s easy to make decisions that seem logical in the moment but create more problems down the road. I’ve seen countless families stumble into the same traps—and honestly, who can blame them? When you’re sleep-deprived and watching your child struggle, you’ll try anything that promises relief.
Believing Tics Will Just Disappear on Their Own
The trap: You keep telling yourself, “This is just a phase. Kids outgrow these things, right?“
Here’s the reality check nobody wants to hear—waiting and hoping rarely works. While some mild tics do fade naturally, assuming they’ll vanish without intervention is like ignoring a check engine light and hoping your car fixes itself.
Studies show that about 60-70% of children with tic disorders need some form of intervention to see meaningful improvement. The longer you wait, the more entrenched these patterns become in your child’s nervous system.
The fix: Start investigating root causes within the first few months. This doesn’t mean panicking or rushing into heavy medications—it means getting curious about what’s triggering your child’s tics. Think of it as detective work rather than crisis management.
Putting All Your Eggs in the Medication Basket
The trap: Your doctor prescribes something, and you think, “Great! Problem solved.“
But here’s what happened to the Johnson family (names changed, but the story’s real): Their 8-year-old started on antipsychotics for his vocal tics. The volume decreased, sure—but he became this flat, emotionless version of himself. His teacher said he seemed “checked out” at school. His mom told me, “It felt like we traded one problem for three new ones.“
The fix: If you’re using medications, consider them a temporary solution while you address the root causes. Work with practitioners who understand both conventional and functional approaches. You don’t have to choose between medications and natural solutions—sometimes the smartest approach is to use both strategically.
Overlooking the Lifestyle Factors That Actually Matter
The trap: You focus solely on the tics themselves while ignoring the environment that’s feeding them.
I’ve watched families spend thousands on specialists while their kid drinks energy drinks for breakfast and lives on processed foods. Or they’ll pursue every medical test but never consider that chronic stress at home might be amplifying everything.
Research increasingly suggests that chronic inflammation in the brain and gut can trigger or exacerbate tics. Your child’s diet, sleep patterns, toxic exposures, and stress levels aren’t just “lifestyle factors”—they’re often the actual drivers of the problem.
The fix: Start with the basics that are entirely under your control. Clean up the diet first—remove artificial colors, excess sugar, and common inflammatory foods like gluten and dairy for 30 days. Watch what happens. Address sleep hygiene. Create calm transition times between activities. These aren’t “alternative medicine”—they’re foundational health practices that should be integrated alongside any other form of assistance.
Ignoring Your Gut Instincts About Your Child
The trap: You let medical professionals dismiss your observations because “you’re not the expert.“
But here’s what I’ve learned after working with hundreds of families: you are the expert on your child. You live with them 24/7. You notice the patterns, the triggers, the subtle changes that happen before a tic episode.
When parents tell me, “I think dairy makes his tics worse,“ or “She’s always worse after birthday parties,“ they’re usually right. Their observations often lead to the breakthrough insights that change everything.
The fix: Start keeping a simple tic diary. Note what your child ate, how they slept, any stressful events, and tic frequency/intensity. Look for patterns over 2-3 weeks. This data becomes incredibly valuable when working with any practitioner, and it validates your role as the primary detective in your child’s health journey.
Treating Signs Instead of Systems
The trap: You chase each new indicator as it appears instead of stepping back to see the bigger picture.
I see families bouncing between specialists like pinballs—neurologist for tics, gastroenterologist for stomach issues, psychiatrist for anxiety, dermatologist for skin problems. Nobody’s connecting the dots to see that these might all stem from the same underlying dysfunction.
The fix: Look for practitioners who understand that tics rarely exist in isolation. They’re often part of a constellation of signs that include gut issues, sleep problems, anxiety, attention challenges, and immune dysfunction. When you address the root cause—like gut inflammation or hidden infections—you often see improvement across multiple areas simultaneously.
The families who see the most dramatic improvements are the ones who stop playing whack-a-mole with signs and start thinking about their child’s health as an interconnected system. It’s the difference between patching holes in a dam and actually fixing the foundation.
Actionable Steps to Address Tics Naturally
Are you ready to move beyond the medication maze? You’re not alone—thousands of parents have walked this path and found real relief through natural approaches. The key isn’t hoping for a benefit aid, but systematically addressing the root causes while your child’s body heals.
Find a functional medicine practitioner who gets it. Not every doctor understands the intricate dance between gut health and brain function. You’ll want someone who’s seen tics resolve before, not just managed them. Look for practitioners who use comprehensive testing rather than guesswork. Many offer free consultations, allowing you to gauge their approach and determine if they truly understand your child’s unique situation.
Get the testing that matters. This isn’t your typical blood panel. You’re looking for gut health markers, food sensitivities, genetic mutations such as MTHFR, and levels of environmental toxins. Think of it as detective work—each test reveals another piece of the puzzle. The right practitioner will interpret these results to create a personalized roadmap, rather than simply handing you a stack of lab reports.
Start with strategic dietary changes. An elimination diet might sound overwhelming, but it’s often the fastest way to identify triggers. Common culprits include gluten, dairy, food dyes, and processed sugars. One mom told me her son’s tics dropped by 70% within three weeks of removing red dye #40 from his diet. The key is being methodical—remove potential triggers for 2-3 weeks, then reintroduce them one at a time.
Rebuild your child’s gut foundation. If the gut is the body’s second brain, then improving it becomes priority number one. This involves introducing high-quality probiotics, incorporating gut-improvement foods such as bone broth, and addressing issues like candida overgrowth with targeted protocols. Many families notice improvements in mood and sleep before the tics even begin to calm down.
Create a toxin-free sanctuary at home. Your house might be harboring hidden triggers. Test for mold, switch to natural cleaning products, and consider using an air purifier in your child’s bedroom. Even simple changes, such as using a quality water filter, can reduce the toxic load on their developing nervous system.
Connect with families who’ve been there. The isolation can be crushing, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. Online communities offer both emotional support and practical advice from parents who have seen real progress. These connections often become lifelines during the challenging early months of assistance.
Take Control of Your Child’s Tic Disorder Today
You now have the knowledge to move beyond the conventional medication for tics approach and explore what’s truly possible for your child’s tic disorder. Remember, while medications might offer temporary relief, they’re not addressing the root causes that continue to fuel your child’s signs.
The functional medicine approach offers hope for lasting change by targeting the underlying triggers, such as gut dysfunction, food sensitivities, and chronic inflammation. You don’t have to accept that medication is your only option or that your child will struggle with tics indefinitely.
Start by keeping a detailed tic diary and consider working with a functional medicine practitioner who understands the complex connections between gut health, brain function, and tic disorders. Your child’s journey toward improvement begins with your decision to look deeper than surface signs.
The path forward requires patience and commitment, but countless families have found freedom from tics by addressing root causes. Trust your instincts, document what you observe, and take that first step toward comprehensive improvement today.
If you are ready to dig deeper into your child’s tic disorder, click here and start with the Tic Disorder Cheat Sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Studies show that 60-70% of children with tic disorders may respond positively to medication, though results vary significantly. Most medications can reduce tic symptoms, but they don’t address the underlying causes. The “trial and error” approach to finding effective medicines can be exhausting for families, and many treatments work more as symptom suppressors than actual cures.
Common side effects of tic medications include mood swings, personality changes, emotional flatness, and behavioral issues. Many parents report that their child becomes a “different person” on certain medicines. Some children experience severe mood alterations that can feel worse than the original tics themselves, leading to additional challenges for families.
No, many medications prescribed for tics are used “off-label,” meaning they weren’t specifically designed for tic disorders. Antipsychotics and blood pressure medications are commonly prescribed, but they were originally developed for other conditions. This off-label use contributes to the unpredictable nature of treatment outcomes and potential side effects.
The tolerance trap occurs when increasing doses of medication are needed to maintain the same level of tic reduction over time. As the body adapts to the medication, higher doses become necessary, while underlying issues continue to worsen. This creates a cycle where families need more potent medications without addressing root causes.
Functional medicine focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of tics, such as chronic inflammation, gut health issues, food sensitivities, and environmental toxins. Instead of suppressing symptoms, this approach utilizes comprehensive testing to create individualized treatment plans that target underlying triggers through dietary adjustments, supplements, and detoxification strategies.
Families typically notice progress within 3 to 6 months of implementing functional medicine strategies. Complete resolution of tics often takes 12-18 months, depending on the underlying causes and individual factors. Beyond tic reduction, families frequently report improvements in sleep quality, mood stability, and academic performance during this timeframe.
Common mistakes include waiting for tics to disappear on their own, relying solely on medication, overlooking lifestyle factors, dismissing parental observations, and treating symptoms in isolation. Early intervention and a holistic approach that considers diet, sleep, stress, and environmental factors are crucial for effective tic management.
Yes, keeping a tic diary is highly recommended. Parents should track tic patterns, potential triggers, dietary changes, sleep patterns, and stress levels to understand their child’s condition better. This documentation helps identify correlations between lifestyle factors and tic episodes, providing valuable information for healthcare providers and treatment planning.
An integrated approach combining natural methods with current treatments can be beneficial, but it should be done under the guidance of a medical professional. Gradual medication reduction should only occur with the advice of a healthcare provider while implementing natural strategies. This ensures safety while exploring root-cause solutions for long-term improvement.
References
De Nadai, A. S., Storch, E. A., McGuire, J. F., Lewin, A. B., & Murphy, T. K. (2011). Evidence-based pharmacotherapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder and chronic tic disorders. Journal of Central Nervous System Disease, 3, 125–142. https://doi.org/10.4137/JCNSD.S4871[](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23861643/
Pringsheim, T., Doja, A., Gorman, D., McKinlay, D., Day, L., Billinghurst, L., Carroll, A., Dion, Y., Luscombe, S., Steeves, T., & Sandor, P. (2012). Canadian guidelines for the evidence-based treatment of tic disorders: Pharmacotherapy. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 57(3), 133–143. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371205700302. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22397999/
Cox, J. H., Seri, S., & Cavanna, A. E. (2016). Safety and efficacy of aripiprazole for the treatment of pediatric Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders. Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 7, 57–64. https://doi.org/10.2147/PHMT.S87121. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5683285/
Smith, J. L., Gregory, S., McBride, N., Murphy, T. K., & Storch, E. A. (2017). Outpatient treatment of tic disorders among children and adults. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 4(4), 559–567. https://doi.org/10.1002/mdc3.12472. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6174490/