Childhood Habit Behaviors and Stereotypic Movement Disorder Follow-up

  • Author: Cynthia R Ellis, MD; Chief Editor: Caroly Pataki, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 26, 2010
 

Further Outpatient Care

  • Consult a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, child psychologist, and/or child psychiatrist for further assessment and possible treatment modalities as indicated.
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Prognosis

  • Most childhood habits that do not involve self-injury are benign and remit without intervention.
    • When a habit persists and interferes with daily functioning, intervention is warranted.
    • The prognosis for reducing and eliminating habit disorders is typically good.
    • Treatment research shows that behavioral intervention can reduce the habit behavior by 90%.
  • A child with breath-holding spells does not have an increased risk of seizures but does have an increased risk of syncopal episodes as an adult.
  • Data about habit behaviors as markers for increased emotional stress, anxiety, or behavior problems are inconsistent.
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Patient Education

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Cynthia R Ellis, MD  Director of Developmental Medicine, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Munroe Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Cynthia R Ellis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Nebraska Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Connie J Schnoes, MA, PhD  Psychologist, Director of Training, Supervising Practitioner, Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, Boys Town

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Holly Jean Roberts, PhD  Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Holly Jean Roberts, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: Autism Society of America, National Association of School Psychologists, and Psi Chi

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Chet Johnson, MD  Medical Director, Child Development Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center

Chet Johnson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Carrie Sylvester, MD, MPH  Director of Education in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School

Carrie Sylvester, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Women's Association, American Psychiatric Association, and American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Caroly Pataki, MD  Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Division Chair, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

Caroly Pataki, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York Academy of Sciences, and Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  3. American Academy of Pediatrics. Atypical behaviors. In: Wolraich ML, Felice ME, Drotar D, eds. The Classification of Child and Adolescent Mental Diagnoses in Primary Care: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care (DSM-PC) Child and Adolescent Version. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 1996:267-75.

  4. Blum NJ. Repetitive Behaviors. In: Levine MD, Carey WB, Crocker AC, eds. Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders; 1999:430-42.

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  8. Long ES, Miltenberger RG. A review of behavioral and pharmacological treatments for habit disorders in individuals with mental retardation. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. Jun 1998;29(2):143-56. [Medline].

  9. Matthews LH, Leibowitz JM, Matthews JR. Tics, habits, and mannerisms. In: Walker CE, Roberts MC, eds. Handbook of Clinical Child Psychology. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; 1992:283-302.

  10. Meyer RG. Practical clinical hypnosis: techniques and applications. In: Scientific Foundations of Clinical Counseling Psychology. New York, NY: Lexington Books/Macmillan; 1992.

  11. Miller JM, Singer HS, Bridges DD, Waranch HR. Behavioral therapy for treatment of stereotypic movements in nonautistic children. J Child Neurol. Feb 2006;21(2):119-25. [Medline].

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  16. Singer HS. Motor stereotypies. Semin Pediatr Neurol. Jun 2009;16(2):77-81. [Medline].

  17. Stein DJ, Chamberlain SR, Fineberg N. An A-B-C model of habit disorders: hair-pulling, skin-picking, and other stereotypic conditions. CNS Spectr. Nov 2006;11(11):824-7. [Medline].

  18. Watson TS, Sterling HE. Habits and tics. In: Watson TS, Gresham FM, eds. Handbook of Child Behavior Therapy. New York, NY: Plenum; 1998:431-49.

  19. Wester WC II. Habits. In: Wester WC II, O'Grady DJ, eds. Clinical Hypnosis with Children. New York, NY: Routledge; 1991:85-96.

  20. Woods DW, Miltenberger RG. A review of habit reversal with childhood habit disorders. Educ Treat Child. 1996;19:197-214.

  21. Woods DW, Murray LK, Fuqua RW, et al. Comparing the effectiveness of similar and dissimilar competing responses in evaluating the habit reversal treatment for oral-digital habits in children. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. Dec 1999;30(4):289-300. [Medline].

 
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