If you have observed Ty for any length of time, you have seen Ty?s motor tics.? While Ty does have a Tourette?s diagnosis, it is my belief that Ty does not have Tourette?s in the genetic sense but that his tics are a common result of Spectrum Issues.?? Some tics you may notice:

• Ty sways his head back and forth.? This would be the most prevalent tic that he has.? It tends to be even more noticeable when he is tired, excited, thinking, or engaged.
• Ty rocks back and forth from foot to foot
• Blinking his eyes
• Clearing his throat
• Sequencing of touching nose then touching tongue
• Placing hand on groin area.? Sigh.

How can you help? The first 4 tics on this list are utterly harmless.? Completely ignore them.? It adds stress to Ty when someone asks him to control something that he cannot.? Telling him to stop would only work for a moment anyhow.? The second two tics on the list are, unfortunately, socially unacceptable.? For Ty?s sake, I try to distract him from these without drawing attention to them.? If we are in public, I will often times grab his hand and talk to him in an effort to focus his attention somewhere else.?? At one time, we were overwhelmed with anxiety over tics but frankly it has turned out to be no big deal.? He lives with them just fine and so do we.