Stereotypic movement disorder is often misdiagnosed as tics or Tourette syndrome (TS). Unlike the tics of TS, which tend to appear around age six or seven, repetitive movements typically start before age three, are more bilateral than tics, and consist of intense patterns of movement for longer runs than tics. Tics are less likely to be stimulated by excitement. Children with stereotypic movement disorder do not always report being bothered by the movements as a child with tics might. A blog by Roger Freeman, MD, clinical head of the Neuropsychiatry Clinic, British Columbia's Children's Hospital, professional advisory board member of the Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada, and former member of the Tourette Syndrome Association Medical Advisory Board.
