| Sadly, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is | | | | to himself or a member of his or her family |
| seen in as many as 1 in 200 of our children. It | | | | because of an intruder coming through an |
| usually begins in the teenage years or the early | | | | unlocked door or window. Even after the childs |
| 20s, but it can sometimes be diagnosed in kids | | | | parents may have methodically shown him or her |
| who are still in grade school. | | | | that each area is locked, the child may still |
| OCD thinking is mentally very intrusive, | | | | compulsively check all the doors and windows (the |
| sometimes causing people to question the very | | | | compulsion) after his parents are asleep. |
| notion of freedom of thought. It manifests itself | | | | The fear and urge to check is so compelling and |
| by the presence of intrusive, recurrent and | | | | abnormal, that the child may then fear that he |
| intense thoughts (obsessions) and/or compulsions | | | | may have accidentally unlocked a door or window |
| (behavior) that the sufferer does not want to | | | | while doing his last checking, so that he has to |
| have because they are so irrational that they | | | | compulsively check over and over again. The |
| make the sufferer feel like he or she is crazy. | | | | actual evidence does little to allay the sufferers |
| These obsessions and compulsions are unwanted | | | | anxiety. Only the checking itself will do so, albeit |
| by the sufferer and interfere with his or her | | | | for a very short time, until the dread re-surfaces |
| day-to-day functioning and quality of life. | | | | and causes another round of checking. |
| Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, | | | | As another example, an afflicted older child or |
| impulses, or images that are unwanted and cause | | | | teen may fear that he will become ill from |
| intense anxiety or distress. They are | | | | contaminated knives or forks. To cope with these |
| pathological,involuntary,unrealistic and irrational and | | | | feelings, he is likely to develop rituals (repetitive |
| are not just excessive real life day-to-day | | | | behaviors or actions), such as methodically and |
| worries. | | | | repetitively wiping off his utensils before he eats, |
| Compulsions, on the other hand, are repetitive | | | | even though the healthy part of his mind tells him |
| actions or rituals (like checking something over | | | | it is not necessary. |
| and over, hand washing, over-cleaning, hoarding, | | | | Research does show that OCD is an actual brain |
| keeping things in order etc.) or mental acts (like | | | | disorder and can run in families. However, a |
| counting, repeating words silently, etc.) that are | | | | person may also develop it, having no previous |
| unnecessary and often, very time-consuming. | | | | family history. Invariably, OCD sufferers feel |
| Usually, the obsession and compulsion are linked; I | | | | shame and embarrassment about their |
| fear this bad thing will happen if I stop checking or | | | | symptoms. The anxiety is so irrational and |
| hand washing, so I can't stop, even though it | | | | compelling; that kids fear it means they're crazy. |
| doesn't make any sense. The compulsions are | | | | Consequently, they can be very reluctant to talk |
| often failed attempts to allay the anxiety induced | | | | about their very abnormal thoughts and behaviors. |
| by the obsessions. | | | | Education and sensitive dialogue between parents |
| Because these obsessions or compulsions cause | | | | and their afflicted children can increase |
| very intense and compelling anxiety, they can | | | | understanding and help parents appropriately |
| interfere with the childs normal routine, academic | | | | support their child. Most kids with OCD can be |
| functioning, social activities and relationships. | | | | treated effectively with a combination of cognitive |
| Consequently, if the disorder is not treated early | | | | and behavioral counseling and certain medications. |
| enough, it can have long term psychological | | | | Family support and education can also be central |
| consequences. | | | | to treatment success. Seeking treatment from a |
| The thoughts, themselves, may vary with the | | | | clinical psychologist or other mental health |
| childs age and even change over time. For | | | | professional is important to better understand the |
| example, a younger child may have unyielding | | | | complex problems created by this strange |
| thoughts (obsessions) that harm is going to come | | | | disorder and to get an appropriate evaluation. |