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Conduct disorder and Tourette syndrome cause challenging behaviors that are frequent and severe enough to disrupt daily life and impair your child’s ability to succeed in all their endeavors.
Both may also occur with other mental health disorders. But that’s where their similarities end.
At THINK Neurology for Kids, we have a compassionate team — Shaun S. Varghese, MD, Cristina R. Marchesano, MD, Lorena Herbert, MD, Barbara Kiersz-Mueller, DO, Lauren Weaver, MD, Alicia Walls, MD, Sundeep Mandava, MD, Patricia DeForest DO, Robby Korah, FNP-C, Jennifer E. Martin, CPNP-PC, Tammy DeLaGarza, FNP-C, and Heather King, CPNP-PC — with extensive experience in helping children and teens with both conditions.
With our support and care, your child can learn to control their behaviors, get medication if needed for symptoms, and you can get tips for how to help your child manage daily life.
You’ll understand how Tourette syndrome and conduct disorder are different after learning the details about each condition.
Conduct disorder
Conduct disorder causes behaviors that violate the rights of others and ignore rules and societal norms. We may diagnose conduct disorder when your child repeatedly engages in behaviors such as:
Aggression
This includes physical and verbal aggression, such as bullying, fighting, using weapons, and cruelty to animals.
Destruction of property
If your child has conduct disorder, they may purposefully destroy property using any means, from breaking others’ possessions to vandalizing and setting fires.
Theft or deceitfulness
Children and teens with conduct disorder may break into homes and cars, lie to obtain items or avoid responsibility, shoplift, or forge a check.
Serious rule violations
Skipping school, staying out at night when not allowed, and running away from home are common rule violations.
The behaviors caused by conduct disorder may begin as early as preschool but are typically diagnosed between middle childhood and adolescence. Per the DSM-5*, these behaviors can first be observed in pre-school. However, the more significant symptoms tend to appear between middle childhood and middle adolescents.
Conduct disorder is only diagnosed in children and youth up to 18 years of age.
Your child’s symptoms may range from mild (they meet the minimal criteria for conduct disorder but cause minimal harm to others) to severe (they have excessive behaviors and cause considerable harm).
Conduct disorder is incredibly challenging but can improve with treatment. Without treatment, teens may go on to develop antisocial personality disorder in young adulthood or potentially progress to criminal behavior.
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome is a tic disorder that causes children to make sudden, repetitive sounds (vocal tics) and movements (motor tics).
Tics typically emerge between the ages of 5 and 7 years, usually with a motor tic in the head or neck region. and may increase in frequency and severity through adolescence. By late adolescence, many teens outgrow their tics. But don’t wait for that to happen.
Early treatment can help even young children learn to control their tics and may prevent them from developing severe, debilitating Tourette symptoms.
Your child may develop a vocal or motor tic or both. Their tics may be “simple” (a brief head nod) or “complex” (involving several coordinated tics).
Here are a few examples of vocal and motor tics:
Vocal tics:
- Repeating words
- Clearing their throat
- Humming
- Sniffing
- Squealing
- Grunting
Motor tics:
- Eye blinking
- Facial grimacing
- Shoulder shrugging
- Lip biting
- Jaw movement
- Arm jerking
Coprolalia, blurting out inappropriate words, is a well-known tic, but it’s uncommon, affecting only 10-15% of those with Tourette syndrome.
Some children with Tourette syndrome and developmental disabilities like autism develop echolalia, a tic in which they repeat words or phrases from movies, TV shows, songs, and books.
Tourette’s symptoms often appear or get worse when your child or teen is excited, anxious, tired, or ill. Tics can also occur while they sleep.
Co-occurring conditions
Conduct disorder and Tourette syndrome often occur together with other mental health disorders. Both conditions can significantly affect your child’s ability to make friends and develop social skills.
Conduct disorder
Children and teens with conduct disorder often have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and substance use disorders (SUDs).
Tourette syndrome
Children with Tourette syndrome have a higher risk for ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety. They may also have behavioral challenges like rage, aggression, and defiance, but not conduct disorder.
Need help with behavioral challenges or tics?
We can answer your questions and diagnose and treat Tourette syndrome and conduct disorder.
Call the nearest office today. We have six convenient locations: The Woodlands, Katy, Sugar Land, Austin, San Antonio, and Gulf Coast, Texas. You can also request an evaluation online.