OCD in Children
“Unmellow Yellow” by Christine ™ is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Is your child used to taking everything more seriously compared to other children of their age? Are their concerns too frequent and too strong? For example, your 4-year-old son might be worried that his hands got dirty, so he may wash them once or twice to make sure everything is clear. This is entirely normal. But what if your son is overdoing it more than it is needed? Even 20 or 40 times a day? Another instance could be that your five-year-old daughter is so afraid of a burglar breaking into your house that the fear won’t let her sleep until she checks each and every door and window every night before she can go to sleep. Even when everything is entirely safe?
While it is normal for children to be worried about a number of things as they grow up, but if it becomes persistent and makes them do something repeatedly to feel safe, even sometimes without their own will, then it could mean that they are suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
What are the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
As the name suggests, a child suffering from OCD undergoes obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions include negative and repetitive thoughts or images that a child can’t stop thinking about no matter how much they want to.
Common signs of obsessions in children are:
- Being extremely afraid about contracting germs or getting ill to the point that they refuse to touch things or people they think are contaminated.
- Having excessive doubts about something even if it’s not that serious.
- Being afraid that something bad might happen to them or their parents.
- Having unwanted, disturbing thoughts of sexual nature or of hurting themselves or others.
- Being preoccupied with order or symmetry and trying to make everything “just right.”
Compulsions include the behaviors that are done in response to obsessions to ease anxiety. A child feels that they must do these things to prevent the bad things from happening, so it is essential to engage in such activities to feel safe.
Common signs of compulsions in children are
- Repeating behaviors such as washing hands, checking doors, rewriting or erasing repeatedly, etc.
- Making sure to do things in a certain way only and refusing to do it otherwise, for example, only resorting to a specific set of clothes despite having a lot of variety in their wardrobe.
- Inconsistency with tasks and restarting them because they didn’t feel right.
- Hoarding unnecessary food, rocks, or other items even if they don’t have any value or need.
- Getting extremely anxious if they get in contact with a “contaminated” thing or person and then cleaning themselves, again and again, to get rid of that anxiety.
What challenges can OCD bring into a child’s life
OCD can make it harder for a child to relax and enjoy their life like the rest of the children of their age. If your child has OCD, they might face challenges such as
- Academic issues such as difficulty paying attention or completing homework.
- Physical problems such as feeling exhausted or a lack of sleep because of persistent worries.
- Social issues such as having difficulty mixing with others because of how conscious they are of other people reacting to them. They may also spend more time dealing with their obsessions and compulsions rather than with their friends.
- Constant anxiety because they are not in control of their thoughts and behaviors like their friends and family are
How to help children with OCD make their lives easier
If your child’s obsessions and compulsions are making it harder for them to live a comfortable life, getting professional help could help them get proper training at an early age so they can manage their symptoms better. Besides professional help, the following are some helpful tips that can help parents and teachers better deal with their children with OCD.
- A child with OCD might feel that they are different from others children and this can make them isolate themselves. Reassurance from elders can help them be open about their worries and deal with them instead of gulping their concerns down.
- Let your child know that they can talk to you about whatever worries them. Don’t approach them with statements like “It’s all in your head,” “Just don’t think about it,” etc. It is often out of a child’s control not to think about what worries them. Instead of disciplining them with strictness, understand what OCD can make others do and empathize with them.
- Suggest healthy distractions such as going outside to play or watching their favorite shows once they are done with their chores. Even short distractions can help them break their worry cycles.
“Kids and Nature” by moonjazz is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
OCD in children can be a challenging condition to deal with, but timely intervention can help them learn effective coping mechanisms and understand themselves and manage their symptoms better so it does not affect their life in a negative way.
“Michele Chang’s OCD Origami (front)” by georigami is licensed under CC BY 2.0
