For many youth with AD/HD, vocal tics (throat clearing, sniffing, or coughing beyond what is normal) or motor tics (blinking, facial grimacing, shrugging, or head-turning) will occur as a time-limited phenomenon. The medications may bring them to notice earlier, or make them more prominent than they would be without medication, but they often eventually go away, even while the individual is still on medication.

Tourette's syndrome is a chronic tic disorder that involves vocal and motor tics. Experts estimate that 7 percent of children with AD/HD have tics or Tourette's syndrome that is often mild but can have social impact in the severe but rare form, while 60 percent of children with Tourette's have AD/HD. Recent research suggests that the development of Tourette's syndrome in children with AD/HD is not related to psychostimulant medication. However, a cautious approach to treatment is recommended when there is a family history of tics or Tourette's syndrome, as certain patients will experience worsening of their tics with stimulant treatment.

Teachers and other school personnel can play an important role by evaluating your child's learning ability and determine educational deficits. This information should be part of the comprehensive evaluation done by the medical/mental health professional.

Some doctors and mental health professionals still use the term ADD. If this is your or your child's diagnosis, it most likely means you or your child have the inattentive type of AD/HD. This is not the child who is "bouncing off the walls" or "simply can't sit still." Rather, it's the individual who seems to be always daydreaming, is forgetful, is easily distracted, is disorganized, and just can't seem to pay attention.