Can parents cause their children to develop OCD?

[taximomfor4]

And yet, did ya ever notcie the doctors and nurses are not "always" sick? I can't tell you the last time I visited the doctor's office and saw an employee who seemed sick. They probably have built up their immune systems, I would guess.


Way to much germophobia, IMO.

It is because they wash their hands before and after touching each and every patient, just like nurses at the hospital do.

That said, there are airborne viruses too, and docs I know catch those.

 

[Christine]

Actually, I've just started doing this myself.

Recently, I have had to go to my general practictioner for things not related to being sick with the flu, sore throat, etc. I've been in there 3 times during the PEAK of flu season. Everyone's coughing and hacking and I'm there for an EKG. I took some Purell in my car, wouldn't read the magazines, used the Purell in the doctor's office and then used it again when I got in my car. Sorry, but that place is boiling over with influenza and strep.

My kids' pediatrictian's office finally got rid of EVERY toy in that place. They said they were germ vectors.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I don't think so. OCD is a physical problem. Something is not right in the brain. A child can mimic a parent with OCD. But as for them growing up, with the "obeseeions", unless they are actually OCD themselves, I don't think so.

A lot of times, an OCD parent will cause the child to grow up, and thye will ive their life the opposite of how they lived their childhood. A know a guy who's mother made sure the house was spotless, I mean, unreasonably clean for kids. He was embarrassed to have friends over. He grew up, and guess who's house is always cluttered? He refuses to tidy up. He likes living like that. Living like he did as a child really kind of messed him up. Sure he knew how to clean as a kid, but he did not keep that obsession once he was out and away from his mother. His mom doesn't visit him much.

My own BIL, refuses to sit down and eat at 5PM. His parents were OCD about meal times. They still are. EXACTLY noon for lunch and EXACTLY 5PM for dinner. Messed him up also.

 

[Nancy]

it's been a while since my kids were little enough to touch everything in the doctors office, but I never stressed over it if they did. They didn't wash their hands before leaving, I guess I was pretty lax with them. BUT they did not get sick all the time. An occasional cold, sore throat etc, but nothing out of the ordinary for kids growing up. I work in a grocery store, I am in constant contact with people, I also don't stress and wash my hands or Purell them to death...I hardly ever get sick...and if I do it isn't all that bad. I totally believe that all this antibacterial stuff is causing super germs that are resistant to it, I believe in letting our immune systems develope to combat germs. Normal handwashing and using Purell after handling yucky meat products is about all I do.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I think the mother is possibly OCD and I also believe there is a genetic link, so her kid might learn it or might inherit it.

 

[Michie]

And yet, did ya ever notcie the doctors and nurses are not "always" sick? I can't tell you the last time I visited the doctor's office and saw an employee who seemed sick. They probably have built up their immune systems, I would guess.


Way to much germophobia, IMO.

If I am not mistaken, doctors and nurses wash their hands a lot during the day. I can count on one hand how many times my 3 kids have been sick and the oldest is 21.

 

[cardaway]

There are only a few places I think that stuff should be used and a doctors office waiting room is one of them.

 

[cardaway]

If I am not mistaken, doctors and nurses wash their hands a lot during the day. I can count on one hand how many times my 3 kids have been sick and the oldest is 21.

They also happen to use that extra stength baterial soap or wear disposable gloves and masks.

 

[Galahad]

It is because they wash their hands before and after touching each and every patient, just like nurses at the hospital do.

That said, there are airborne viruses too, and docs I know catch those.

DW is not sick any less often than anybody else with respect to viruses, colds etc. She does wash her hands a lot, obviously (even at home), and has the disposable gloves, etc. but she's still gets colds. The difference is that she doesn't have the option of calling in sick. She has to load up on symptom treating meds, mask-up and go to work. It could be that docs aren't off work as much as others when they are sick, but I don't think they have a magical immune system that keeps them from getting sick.

 

[NMAmy]

Now that dd is 15 about the only time I take her to the doctor is for sports physicals. And then, yes, I remind her to not touch anything in the doctors office. You can hear all these people coughing and complaining of flu and colds, etc.

Believe me, I'm not really obsessive about cleanliness or handwashing most of the time. DD was in daycare as a child and caught everything that went around, including pink eye, and rarely gets sick now. But why risk catching a cold or flu when you're surrounded by sick people? It makes sense to take some precautions.

 

[VSL]

From what I understand (my BF is getting his Psychology BSc this year and is applying to do his PhD next year), most psychological 'abnormalities' are more strongly linked with biological factors (genetics, chemicals, etc.) than behavioural patterns.

My mother is a clean freak (she freaks out if there are too many drops of water around/in the sink!). My BF reckons that I may have some mild OCD, but cleaning is not one of them.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I guess I'm lucky, I let my kids play with whatever they want at the doctor's office and they are never sick. The only time they go to the doctor is for well visits. Even my pediatrician has commented how healthy they are.

 

[carone0318]

I just wanted to comment on what seems like a number of dr. office's that have their well-visit patients and their sick patients together. My ped.'s office once you walk through the outside door you go to the door on the left if you are sick and if you are there for a well visit you go to the door on the right. The sick and the well visit kids are seperated. I am not a stickler about washing after this, that and the other thing and my kids are extremely healthy and rarely sick. To each his/her own though, if you want to Purrell yourself that's fine, it doesn't really bother me. I've been told that I am OCD, but for other reasons (and I would like to think they mean that in a social OCD way, not where something is seriously wrong with me, it's just what makes me tick sort of way.)

 

[Disney Doll]

The mother may have been a bit OCD. The kid will probably grow up to be one of those anxious types.

We have been sold a bill of goods by the manufacturers of all those anti-bacterial things that they are necessary for moden life. They are not. Washing your hands with soap and water is quite sufficient as long as you get a good friction going and wash them for 30 seconds (sing the Happy Birthday song in your head and when it's done, you're done). All the anti-bacterial stuff is succeeding in doing is creating superbugs and making the manufacturers rich.

As far as nurses and doctors...in my hospital, the regular soap that you use with soap and water is just soap...nothing fancy or super anti-bacterial or anything. The stuff that comes out of the little pump bottles that are scattered around is the equivalent of Purell. I do not wear a pair of gloves every time I touch a patient. I only wear a mask if a patient is on respiratory isolation, or if I am changing a central line IV dressing and they don't want me breathing all over the site. I am seldom sick. I have to imagine that after 23 yearsof bedside nursing that I have been exposed to every bacteria known (and some that probably aren't known!!) to mankind.

Exposure to germs and bacteria is necessray for normal healthy immune system development.. Don't Purell your kids to death.

 

[taximomfor4]

I just reread part of this thread. I don't think we can say whether this mom in the OP is over the top or not. We know she Purelled like crazy at the drs office. For all we know, her dd might be immunocompromised somewhat, or something. Also, for all we know, the dd might be flower girl in a wedding in a few days. So maybe the mom was being super-cautious due to specific circumstances at a specific place at a specific time. Just not enough info.

I know, when we Purell at the peds office, it is when we can least handle illness in the house. Otherwise, we do it if we think of it. I am just as likely to have the kids wash their hands when we are leaving the exam room.

At the hospital I am at on weekends, the soap is regular liquid soap and the instant hand sanitizer (the water-free stuff) is like Purell. I use that when entering and leaving a pt's room, and glove up to touch body fluids...and mask up if the pt has an airborne illness -- I also mask up if I have the airborne illness, even if I took symptom-relief meds that mask the illness.

Oh, and my kids didn't go to daycare, 3 of them are now in school. They are VERY rarely sick.