ideas_shyWhat is OCD, and how common is it in kids? (and from what age)

All children have worries and doubts but sometimes with children it’s like their brain gets stuck or caught and they worry so much about having things ‘just right’ or ‘clean’ or ‘ safe’ that they do a certain action again and again to bring relief to themselves.  Even when they want to stop the action they feel that they can’t, that they are ‘obsessed’or we also say it is a ‘compulsion’.  This is OCD about you find about 1 in every 100 children develop OCD.  For most kids it develops between the ages of seven and twelve, they may also have a parent that has OCD but they may not.

Children with OCD feel that they ‘have to do’ something in order for their brain to relax, be safe, be clean, or get rid of scary thoughts or fears.  Children often say to me that they do it ‘just because,’ it is all about relieving their anxiety.

Is it serious?

Certainly is,  if......... Want to read the rest of this article?  Just login and read here.  Not a Babysmiles Member?? Well have a look at our memberships and join now.  It only takes a few minutes.

Leave a Reply