![]() When a child has OCD, obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals can become frequent and intense, interfering with daily activities and normal development. A person struggling with this fear may avoid touching seemingly safe things or use a compulsive ritual to control these fears (such as excessive hand-washing). Many people are familiar with the fear of touching dirty things or being contaminated by a substance. When unable to neutralize their distress by engaging in their compulsion the child or adolescent may become tearful, withdrawn, irritable or angry.Ĭhildren and teens suffering with OCD often struggle to be flexible, have highly specific rules about things and can become extremely angry if those rules are not adhered to. A child or teen with OCD has intrusive, undesirable thoughts typically related to fears that interrupt their ability to function in a way that is typical for their age. The obsessive thoughts and rituals of OCD have a different focus and intensity than those that occur as part of normal development. These rituals help children learn to socialize and master anxiety. Older children and teens begin to collect objects and develop hobbies. School-aged children normally develop group rituals as they learn to play games, team sports, and recite rhymes. They might insist on their favorite food, toy, book or blanket. Preschool children often use rituals around mealtimes, bath and bedtime to help them stabilize their expectations and understanding of their world. They tend to work for a little while but eventually new compulsions are needed.Ĭreating and following routines and rituals, and even some obsessive thoughts geared toward the experiences of their age, is often a normal part of development for children and adolescents. Whether they are thoughts or behaviors, all compulsions serve to neutralize obsessions. The compulsions can also be thoughts or “deals” that people with OCD make with themselves. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that causes a person to have undesirable, intrusive and recurring thoughts (obsessions) or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). ![]()
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