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O.C.D- 8 Year old

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Posted 12/27/2007 7:22 AM (GMT 0)
My son is exhibiting signs of Obsesssive Compulsive Disorder.  Until I can find a professional to talk to can someone give me some advice?  He has these compulsions.  They make him feel "crazy".  He keeps saying "Something is wrong with me".  He can't sleep in his room unless it is cleaned up.  All drawers, closet doors, bathroom doors must be closed and then rechecked. Some rituals contain consist of doing it an arbitrary amount of times. For instance, when cooking with me, he had to turn from the stove to the counter only to the left and had to do everything three times.  He says he feels nervous if he doesn't do "what his brain is telling him he has to do".  He is upset and anxious and I just want to help him.  Please give me some advice.
Posted 12/27/2007 12:14 PM (GMT 0)
HI Dawn
I was always doing things in 5's ...since I was about his age ...........and yes to me it was my brain I thought telling me to do it and which in fact it is .........he is young enough that yoiu can get him to a Cognitive behavioural Therapist or a therapist that strictly works with OCD and have his brain re trained

It is hard to live like this take it from me and others that have OCD

I am so sorry and my heart does go out to your lil man.........

I have been doing CBT online for some time now and I am getting better...

I COULD NOT leave a dish in sink not even utensil ......washed floor before going to bed ....after getting up as soon as feel hit floor bed is made ( still have that one lol) .....and I would wash floor again do all my housework I THOUGHT had to be done when in fact it was clean BUT my head said it was not ..........

All my pics and nic nacs had to be Balanced ..........so on ..

My daughter started picking the habits and eventually she turned OCD with her room as well ......as her school books ect and her bathing and washing hands it is in 3's .........as is wiping things off ........SOME tips I use with her are to get her out and doing things and or we do crafts and such together.......

AS well I have now found she is getting better with being able to be away and does not do these things as much when away so I know we have to work on it together....she is going to try the CBT as well ............I do it and it works for me re trains the brain like I said and she is older so she will be able to do it

It is very possible your son may be able to as well

They say that OCD'ers are highly intellectual Children .....My Cait is an Honor student so I gotta think something has to be right in that ya know

I am sure others will post hun and give you some of their input to help you out here too

I see you suffer from many illnesses as do I ..NOT trying to put this on you so dont take this wrong PLEASE
MY doc said that my daughter may be doing some of the things she is as she is constantly worried about me and seeing me sick....I have CD ........PG and A/P as well as other things going on and she was always with me from a wee babe watching and helping me ya know ........

OUR kids think we make the sun come up and the moon come out so ya know it makes some sense they will worry or find a way to turn the worry into something tangible for them to do so they can keep mind off of us 24/7 and I know I have told Cait i love her with all my heart and I am not going anywhere BUT yet she always is really terrified something is going to happen to me ........
I am not saying this is what is going on with your son just throwing out some of what goes on behind my doors here............

PLEASE stay with us and know you are being heard......and supported ...........

MY heart goes out to your son and to you

Kudos for seeking help /tips advice for him.you are great ...Mom

Huggs to that sweet son of yours ...and to you too for being such a GREAT mom..........LYN

Posted 12/27/2007 4:04 PM (GMT 0)

Dear Dawn,

I am sorry to read of your son's problems.  From the little I know of children with OCD, Behavioral Therapy is the best way to go but then I am sure you are discussing this with your son's physician.

I think Lyn gave you some great advice and she understands this disorder.

I support you as I know how difficult this must be for you to see your son going through this.  Please keep posting.

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

Posted 12/27/2007 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Lyn, thanks so much for your response. I definitely will be finding someone who specializes on BCT for OCD. Right now I am just dong as much research as possible on the subject. You are right about the illnesses effecting my son. He gets very concerned if I just get a cold. He does worry about my health and that I will die. We try to combat this worry in every way possible. He was also abused recently by an older boy, and that just came out in August. He had been getting therapy for that and I am not happy at all with the level of competence in that area. I just emailed the school psychologist for a referral in someone who specialized in OCD b/c that is what it seems like he has. Is it common for the compulsions to change. For a few weeks is was persistent washing...now I can't hardly get him to shower. Lastnight, it was the closet and bathroom doors and the dresser and nightstand drawers. Sometimes it's an unnatural fear of being outside in the dark, even if his parent's are around. (other times dark is fine) Anyway, it seems he'll get stuck on one thing for a while and then move on to something else.
Posted 12/27/2007 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Kitt, for your support. It is very much appreciated. I am very preoccupied and worried about my son. He is such a sweetheart and like Lyn said, he is highly intelligent. Since he was born he seemed to think at a higher than normal level. We've entertained the thought that he has a photographic memory. Today so far has been a good day so I am thankful for that.

Thank you for your support.
Posted 12/27/2007 6:07 PM (GMT 0)

Dear Dawn,

I admire you as you are being so proactive on behalf of your son.  You are recognizing what he is going through and you may be right, he could well have a very high IQ.

If he does have a high IQ please consider his need for an outlet for his knowledge, skills, insights, problem solving ability and creativity. This will help him channel that knowledge in a meaningfull way. 

I have a granddaughter with Autism and she has a high IQ.  She can do cirlces around me and she is only 13.  However she needs lots of love and reinforcement that she is ok.

Gentle Hugs to you

Kitt

Posted 12/28/2007 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Cait was and still is the same way Dawn..An honors student ..........and she was like that at early age too could read before I knew it ..........and PHOTOGRAPHIC memory she has to this day.........

YES everytime I am sick I notice her habits going either in a different way or stronger..........she too is afraid I am going to die I have taked too Kitt Dave and Wen about this and NO amount of reassurrance helps it seems
She lost her bio dad we had not been together for yrs and he was insulin dep diabetic that just could not beat the booze . ......loves her step dad to pieces but I seperated for personal reasons I felt I was giving him short end of stick ya know and that crushed her she still sees him and is begging us to reconcile...I do love him but ........I dont want to be pushed into it again until I am ready
Anyways not long after her dad my Mom her Nan passed away and now my dad wont be long either.......
She feels death is all around her and this has now made her so angry at my illnesses and Him........
bringing out the OCD in her more and more daily and she had to go on a/p meds as she started having severe panic attacks away from me at school..........it is a ry out for this month only as I really dont want her to be on them like I have ya know ...........BUT if neeed be then I will do it .......

I will keep you and your son in my heart thoughts and prayers

Luvs......LYN

YOU are doing what a GREAT mom should be doing ..........IMHO

Posted 12/29/2007 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Lyn, I appreciate it.  I abought a book called Freeing your Child From Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  It has had great reviews so, we'll see.  It sounds like a pretty complicated issue and I think the more knowledge we have, the better.  Thank you all for your support, I am sure I'll have more questions/comments.  Blessings to you all.

Posted 12/29/2007 3:43 AM (GMT 0)

Dawn,

Sounds like a great book.  Let us know how you like it.  Thanks for checking back in too.  We are always here for you so keep on posting.

Happy New Year 2008

Kitt

Posted 12/29/2007 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
Dawn.....I will look for that book ...thanks sweetie.I would like to help Cait as I do NOT want her to go her whole life as I have with the OCD plus the CBT does really well but as I said I dont know if your son could do that yet ..............

Thanks so much for letting us know you are making headway

I TOLD you you were and are a great MOM................Keep that in your head n heart luv

THIS is no ones fault .......it is a misfunction in the Brain that can be retrained especially at his and my Caits age..........AND I have even gotten some great out of CBT...........

Happy 2008 ...I wish you and your son all the best..........
Luv
LYN
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