“It’s Not Just a Phase”: Helping Identify OCD in Your Children
By Emily Carter
Children and OCD
Mental Health in children can be easily missed or undiagnosed, but these are the most crucial ages for growth and development when working with cognitive diversity. These behaviors can quickly get out of control and may not be able to be wrangled in, much like young and energetic children. A significant endorsement for providing for your children can come from an appropriate understanding of how your child thinks and works. Not all children are the same, which is entirely okay. However, understanding those differences, especially in the context of neurodiversity, allows your child to thrive and grow exponentially, and equips you as a parent with the knowledge to support them effectively.
Every child with OCD may not present the same way, as there is an array of symptoms that can be present for a child with obsessions or compulsions. It can be noted that children with OCD will present with avoidance behaviors, obsessions with certain items, and an excessive need to keep the area clean. OCD in kids can be further understood as, “In addition to obsessions and compulsions, school-age children may display other related behaviors, including avoidance of certain areas (e.g., school restrooms) or things (touching doorknobs or handles). Others may exhibit repetitive behaviors such as checking, attempting to continuously clean areas (e.g., desks or lockers), or hoarding objects,” (Helbing, 2009). Knowing and understanding what to look for in your child’s behaviors is the first step to advocating for them. By understanding what makes them special, you can improve their quality of life and their ability to grow.
Identifying OCD in Children
Identifying OCD in children can be challenging, but it’s undeniably crucial. Children may not fully comprehend that their feelings are not rational or appropriate, but in their minds, they are simply soothing their obsessions or compulsions. It’s common for people who are not with them daily, such as parents of friends, coaches, or teachers, to misinterpret their behaviors as attention-seeking or acting out. Parents of children with OCD need to be vigilant for these behaviors, as early recognition can prevent years or even decades of undiagnosed suffering. It cannot be stressed enough that parents are their children’s most significant advocates.
Tell Tale Signs my child might be experiencing OCD without me knowing:
- Repeatedly asking questions
- Avoiding certain things like people, objects, colors, etc., if they feel they may be “unsafe” or “bad”
- Requesting reassurance
- Fear of hurting others
- Excessive checking, arranging, or handwashing, the need to be clean
It is common for these children to struggle in areas that kids without a neurodiversity may not need extra help in. Although it may not seem familiar, it is more common than you think. It is noted that there is 1 in every 100 children who may have OCD but go undiagnosed during childhood. These adorable little kids may be battling many thoughts internally and don’t realize that they are not alone and that many kids their age are experiencing the same thing. One way to help recognize these behaviors without exhibiting symptoms is to look for their faults or areas of struggle. Although it can be hard to admit that your child has faults because, in a parent’s eyes, our children are perfect. It could be crucial to their health and development that we understand their faults and get them the help they may need. The critical thing to remember is that their faults are not a reflection of your parenting; it truly may be their genetic makeup taking its course. Here are some essential things to know about OCD to help find those faults and get your child help.
How to know if my kid’s hardship is OCD?
- Lacking in school performance
- Those with relationships with family and friends struggle more often
- Emotional health
- Sleep consistency
- Appetite and food discrepancies
The hard part is recognizing the behavior and attempting not to enable it to help treat your child’s OCD. Enabling the behavior encourages the behavior. You create an environment that discourages obsession or compulsion by not promoting it. Not only does enabling it make the behavior continue and worsen, but it also makes it that much harder to treat and rid the child of.
Don’t be discouraged if you start seeing behaviors here and there and feel taken aback as if you never noticed. Your child may have been embarrassed or ashamed of how they were feeling. Maybe a kid at school called them “crazy.” Now they think they will be judged if they do it again. It is important to note that it may not just be your “stereotypical” OCD symptoms, such as needing to be clean all of the time. There are so many other angles that OCD can come from. It is good to watch for recurrent behaviors such as obsessions with objects, characters, people, harmful ideas, religion, etc.
OCD Awareness & Acceptance
Being aware is half the battle when it comes to neurodiversity, such as OCD. If you aren’t mindful, you don’t know how to help. This goes for all neurodiversities affecting young children who can’t advocate for themselves. It is your job as parents to reach out to your local medical professionals and advocate for them to get the help they deserve. By taking this proactive step, you empower yourself as a parent and ensure your child receives the best possible care.
It cannot be stressed enough that it is okay for your child to have neurodiversity. It is not going to be harmful to you if you have to take your child to be evaluated by a medical professional about their mental status. By doing this, you aren’t admitting defeat. You are accepting and advocating for a child who may not know or understand their feelings and needs help to do so. By getting them the help they need and deserve, you are taking a step in the right direction towards giving your child an overall better quality of life.
Source:
Helbing M-LC, Ficca M. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in School-Age Children. The Journal of School Nursing. 2009;25(1):15-26. doi:10.1177/1059840508328199
Hello readers! My name is Emily Carter, and I am student at the University of Central Florida. I am originally from Rockford, Illinois but have since moved to the sunny state of Florida. I am currently a senior studying a major in biomedical sciences and a minor in biology. My goal is to obtain my medical degree to become an orthopedic surgeon. I am so happy to be a part of the Different Brains Inc. Internship program to hopefully continue to grow and learn about how different everyone’s brains really are.
