Anyone had any experience with tics??

[Nearlypinkmummy]

My 7 year old ds2 has developed a tic, he moves his head forwards a few times and says that although he knows he's doing it he just can't stop himself. The other kids at school have started to notice. This is the last thing he needs as isn't the most popular boy at school and is justing getting over a really terrible few months of zero friends. Has any one got any experience of tics? All I know is they are very common and can just dissappear. But how long do they hang around for??

My ds has had a few varieties of tics including mouth twitching, blowing his fingers and a verbal tic. I was really worried when it first started I thought it was linked with Tourettes syndrome. Ds was 6 when he first started having tics and it was linked with anxiety. He was unhappy in school and had a few friendship issues. He was referred to a child psychologist and she said that it wouldn't last for long. At the time it really worried me and I thought it would never go. Ds had tics on and off for about a year. He is nearly 10 and he hasn't had any for a few years now.
I have heard that tics are very common at this age my dh used to twitch his eyes so it could be hereditary.

Myalias - was there anything that helped to relieve the anxiety and the tics? Now you've mentined it I remember that my dh used to twitch his eyebrows, that dissappeared just after we got married.

Ds has Attention Defecit Disorder - (ADD) and this was diagnosed the same year as the tics started. Ds was prescribed ritalin for ADD and the GP said that this could stop the tics. Ds was on ritalin for a year and the tics didn't re-occur. He is no longer on medication and hasn't had any re-occurrances. Ds has seen a number of specialists over the years for various anxiety related problems. Ds keeps a diary and he writes one positive comment a day so he can look back over the week to see what he has achieved.
I know a few other children that have had tics and anxiety related problems and as they mature and can express their feelings they seem to have it under control.