Think your child has OCD? Watch for these clues.
• Excessive hand-washing or showering. Clues: more soap is being used (some children must start with a fresh bar each time they wash); more hot water being used; clean towels disappearing faster; hands appear chapped; excess amounts of toilet paper being used, resulting in clogged toilets.
• Strange idleness. Your child appears to be doing nothing, when he's really counting or retracing.
• Excessive neatness when doing homework (for example, retracing letters or words, restarting an entire page because of one error).
• More laundry (contamination compulsions require a steady supply of clean clothing).
• A newly acquired aversion to something.
• Taking longer than usual to complete everyday activities (rituals, checking, counting and retracing are time-consuming).
• Anger at your probing questions or defensiveness when you catch your daughter doing a ritual.
• Increased time alone (OCD rituals can keep your child in his room for hours).
• Somatic complaints – stomach aches, headaches, lack of sleep.
What parents can do
Here's what you can do to help.
• Set time limits on rituals.
• Give your child age-appropriate information on OCD.
• Reassure your child that OCD is not her fault; it's a problem that you're both going to try hard to fix.
• Try to be as anxiety-free as possible yourself; it's not helpful if you get angry at your child.
• Don't tell your child to ignore the obsessions – that might only increase his frustration.
• Advocate for your child by learning as much as you can about OCD in children and finding a therapist who has experience using cognitive behavioural therapy to help youngsters.
• Help your child recognize the obsessions for what they are – unwanted scary thoughts.
• Maintain family routines as much as possible – the family can be an anchor for your child.
• Praise your child's every success, no matter how small.
• Be available to talk. Take advantage of time together in the car or doing chores – situations where your child might feel less pressure.
OCD at schoool
Communication is key when it comes to school-related issues for a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), according to Karen Robinson, president of Advocate for Appropriate Special Education. "Understanding and awareness will go a long way in helping educators address behaviours or classroom problems," she says.
Here are a few of Robinson's tips.
• Don't assume that administrators already know about OCD behaviours or the best resources to educate staff and other students. Parents should inform the school of valuable materials such as books or videos.
• Maintain a running dialogue between the school and medical professionals. Administrators should be aware of treatment recommendations from your child's therapist or doctor so any necessary accommodations can be made.
• Encourage school officials to reduce bullying toward kids with OCD by educating students using age-appropriate material.
• Impress upon school staff that the response to disruptive behaviours should not be to exclude or punish. Discussing the problem with parents and the child’s therapist reduces disruption without harming your child’s mental health.
- by Katie Drummond
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