Neurologists familiar with Tourette Syndrome should make the diagnosis.
Professionals base the diagnosis on the history of the child, family observations, and evaluations.
For example, eye tics are attributed to visual problems, and throat clearing and sniffing or coughing are associated with allergies, etc. Age 13 is most often when the severe symptoms appear. The variety of tics is enormous. The complexity of some symptoms often confuse family, friends, teachers and employers, who find it hard to believe that the actions or vocal utterances are involuntary. Anyone of them may be suppressed for a time, but eventually, the need to vocalize or act must come out.