Research shows that approximately 1 in 5 children develop tics, such as repetitive throat clearing, grunting, sniffing, eye blinking, head jerking, or facial grimacing. Tics typically emerge between the ages of 5 and 7, with frequency and severity often escalating between ages 8 and 12. While many children see a decrease in tics as they enter late adolescence, others may continue to experience them into adulthood.