5 Symptoms of OCD in Children

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is debilitating and causes great distress to those suffering from it. It is one of the most common mental disorders. Essentially, it involves repetitive thoughts (obsessions) that must be satiated with repeated rituals (compulsions). This is especially true of OCD in children.

While the exact cause of the disorder is unknown, research studies on pediatric OCD highlight factors like inflammatory damage due to certain childhood infections, prescription drug-induced structural changes in the brain, and environment or parenting styles, among others. Symptoms of OCD also develop along with other psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions.

Symptoms of OCD in children.

While it can be extremely frustrating for a parent to see their child exhibit symptoms of OCD, it is important to remember that the disorder feels beyond the child’s control, so it is of little use to tell them to stop doing it. If you are not sure whether your child is showing signs of OCD, consider these five common symptoms:

Excessive cleaning routines.

If you notice your child develops a habit of excessively washing their hands or cleaning, take note of this common symptom of OCD. Their hands may even show signs of being over washed. This compulsive activity will start to impair their everyday functioning.

Counting, checking, touching.

Rituals such as excessive counting, checking and rechecking, and repeatedly touching certain objects are compulsions that OCD sufferers use to alleviate anxious thoughts. These rituals bring a level of comfort even if it causes embarrassment in a social setting.

Intrusive thoughts.

Your young child may not be able to articulate some of the scarier symptoms of OCD in children, which involves disturbing thoughts that flood the mind: killing a pet, thoughts of violence and self-harm.

Older children and teens may also struggle to discuss them, as they bring a sense of shame. While these thoughts are irrational, they seem real and frightening, so should not be dismissed, or minimized.

No deviation from daily routine.

While children love the predictability of a daily routine, a strict adherence to them should not be considered a symptom of OCD. However, if your child shows extreme anxiety and distress if a routine is deviated from, this could be a red flag. The obsessions and compulsions could center on waking up at the exact time every day, eating the same food, and doing other rituals with no level of flexibility.

Dread about illness.

Most people do not enjoy getting sick, but a symptom of OCD to look out for includes an excessive fear of getting sick, which can be closely linked to a fear of germs. Other specific phobias common to OCD include emetophobia, which is a fear of throwing up, or having someone near you throw up.

Often, signs of illness make an OCD person fear that they have a life-threatening disease, and these irrational fears need to be assessed by a professional.

If you notice any of these symptoms of OCD in your child, it is important to address them sooner rather than later. OCD will not go away on its own, and, in fact, does not have a cure. However, there are things your child can do to cope with it. Reach out to us at Wylie Christian Counseling in Texas today and we can connect you to a Christian counselor in Wylie, Texas who will help your child understand their condition and that they can trust in God, who is in control.