Most people believe that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder orOCD symptoms are predominant in adults. However, this is not true. Even children are prone to them, and this is why you should never ignore these symptoms in case your child displays an obsession with cleanliness and hygiene. Often such children are negative in thoughts and behavior. Such children are obsessed with precision and have a habit of being exact with everything. They pay a lot of attention to detail that is not commonly found in kids of their age. They also share an excessive desire to remember and know facts that are trivial. They worry about bad events like an accident happening to their parents etc. They share aggressive thoughts and urges that are not healthy for children their age.
Jonathan Lauter-what are the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children?
Jonathan Lauter is an esteemed child and adolescent psychiatrist in the USA. He currently is a clinician at Refuah Health Center at Spring Valley in New York. He says several parents fail to understand why their child has repetitive patterns and often blame the child. They resort to the wrong measures to discipline the child, and this worsens the symptoms. Are OCD symptoms genetically passed on to children by their parents? This is a common question that psychiatrists face when they are addressing obsessive-compulsive disorders in children. There is scientific evidence that children who have deficiencies in the brain transmitter serotonin pass them on to their children. This is one of the prime reasons why scientists say that OCD tendencies are passed on to children by their parents.
Do not make the mistake of blaming your child
When you discover that your child has an obsessive-compulsive disorder, you should never blame the child for it. Dr. Lauter says this is not the right attitude for you to blame your child. Besides genetics, there can be other reasons for your child to suffer from OCD. Certain environmental factors can be the main trigger when it comes to stopping repetitive patterns of hygiene and cleanliness. It has often been seen that such children often wash their hands 100 times in a day.
How can a child be diagnosed with OCD?
Doctors often diagnose a child with OCD after doing a psychiatric evaluation. There are no lab tests for the child to check whether he or she has OCD symptoms. Children that have OCD symptoms can be treated effectively if they are diagnosed early. However, if you notice that your child has an obsessive behavior for cleanliness. Parenting can be a tough job at times however if you face OCD issues with your child, it is prudent to consult a good psychiatrist to resolve the issue.
Dr. Jonathan Lauter says that when you discover your child has obsessive-compulsive disorder, you should visit a good psychiatrist and get a customized treatment plan for his or her needs. The doctor will generally use a combination of medicines and therapy for your child. With the passage of time and with regular treatment the symptoms will subside, and the signs of OCD will disappear.