OCD Disorder in Children

As children, many of us took great care to avoid stepping on the cracks in sidewalks and in between floor tiles. Why? Because--as the saying goes--stepping on one would break someone's back, usually our mothers'. We knew it was only a game, but for a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), similar routines seem necessary in everyday life and often contribute to the anxiety he is trying to control. OCD is an anxiety disorder that causes obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of childhood OCD include anxiety and intrusive, uncontrollable thoughts. The obsessions from this disorder include fear of things or events, which is often unsubstantiated in reality, and preoccupation with items, numbers or bodily waste. According to KidsHealth, obsessions can also include religion, intrusive sounds and a need for order or symmetry. The compulsions of OCD are ritualistic behaviors that help the child cope with anxiety and obsessive thoughts, though they can exacerbate the issue. A common obsession is fear of dirt or germs, which leads to compulsive showering, hand-washing or laundering of clothes.

Signs

• According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, children may try to hide their compulsive behavior, which makes it difficult for parents to notice the symptoms. Signs to watch for with schooling include difficulty with concentration, a drop in academic performance and holes in homework papers from excessive erasing. At home, children may have dry, red hands from excessive washing or have an increased amount of laundry. The Obsessive Compulsive Foundation notes that mornings and evenings are usually more difficult for the child and that she may have temper tantrums when a parent tries to disrupt a ritual or sets limits on unreasonable behaviors.

Causes and Prevalence

• The cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder is unknown; however, it may be the result of blocked serotonin in the brain. This disorder does run in families, so there is a possibility of genetic predisposition. Traumatic events, such as loss of a parent or sibling, can contribute to onset of OCD. KidsHealth reports that approximately one percent of U.S. children experience this disorder and that it's usually diagnosed between 7 and 12 years of age.

Considerations

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a serious condition that requires therapeutic intervention, as disciplinary measures for unreasonable behavior cannot address the underlying anxiety. Children with OCD are usually aware that their rituals and thoughts are abnormal, but they cannot control them. They are also more likely to have other psychiatric conditions than children who do not have OCD. When this leads to trouble identifying with other children or with feeling accepted, social isolation and low self-esteem can result.

Treatment

• Treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder generally includes a combination of medication and therapy. Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors may help with the chemical imbalance and with controlling anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy addresses the obsessive thoughts while helping the child overcome ritualistic behaviors. Therapy may include gentle and controlled exposure to feared items, such as a dirty object, to help the child overcome irrational thought processes.