Preschoolers with OCD???

[sap1227]

My ped thinks my 4 year old might be OCD. I know he has a lot of "quirks", but I did not think it would be anything like this. They gave me a referral to a specialist (I am calling tomorrow).

Has anyone delt with this in such a young child. I am pretty anti-medication for someone this age.

A little background:
This clothes are always "wrong", too small, too tight, twisted.....
He hates his "new" shoes (the old ones were making his feet bleed)
Can not deal with change in routine at school (he goes to a Mom's Day Out twice a week)
Can not handle "sticky hands" (or necks, or faces, or anything!!)

Thanks for any input!
Christy

 

[WDWAurora]

The more effective treatment is generally CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). If it is not effective on its own, then medication can be introduced in conjunction with the therapy. Intervention tends to have pretty good long-term effectiveness though. I don't have kids, this is just what I know from training. Medication definitely doesn't have to be the first action though (and isn't my first choice for anything that isn't dangerous).

 

[phamton]

The symptoms sound more like Sensory Integration Disorder to me (possibly tactile):

http://www.childhoodanxietynetwork.org/htdocs/htm/sid.htm

http://coco.essortment.com/sensorydisorder_rhky.htm

Occupational therapy can often help if you are hesitant about using medication.

 

[SandiH]

The symptoms sound more like Sensory Integration Disorder to me:

http://www.childhoodanxietynetwork.org/htdocs/htm/sid.htm

That's what I was thinking.

 

[sap1227]

The symptoms sound more like Sensory Integration Disorder to me:

http://www.childhoodanxietynetwork.org/htdocs/htm/sid.htm

This is what I think it is too, I was surprised when she said OCD. She said it was based on the problem with change.

I feel so guilty--I have a degree in psychology (and I took EVERY child psychology class offered) and I have let my child (and my DH and I) suffer with this for much too long. I am really excited to at least meet with the specialist and see what he says.

I am dreaming of the day he just puts his clothes on (all the way down to his shoes) and we just walk out the door!

Christy

 

[WDWAurora]

I'm tired, and re-reading that it made no sense. Sorry. Goodnight guys...

 

[sap1227]

I'm tired, and re-reading that it made no sense. Sorry. Goodnight guys...

You made sense and you made me happy (about meds being secondary). Thanks for the input!
Christy

 

[BethanyF]

Sounds a lot like my son. He has Sensory Integration Disorder (the clothing issues, sticky hands, etc) and Asperger's / High Functioning Autism (routine).

I should add that we do not medicate him. He has made great strides with some therapy and calming techniques.

 

[Pamlur]

When my grandson (9 1/2 now) was little, he absolutely HATED change. My daughter called me one day to let me listen to him screaming because he had to wear long pants instead of shorts (or vice versa; it happened every season); it sounded like she was beating him. She had to let him wear his tennis shoes to church because he screamed if he had to wear dress shoes. She had to sell his carseat at a garage sale when he outgrew it, and MAKE him sit in the larger one.

That all went away, and now he is very flexible. So, I guess we damaged him for life by treating it lightly?

BTW, this was all when he was 1-3 years old.

 

[HayGan]

My DS (5) is diagnosed with PDD-NOS (autism spectrum.) He had/has many of the sensory issues that you describe (as well as some routine change issues) He has done exceptionally well with therapy - absolutely NO meds here!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The symptoms sound more like Sensory Integration Disorder to me (possibly tactile):

If there are indeed any medical issues, Sensory Integration Disorder was my thought, too.

One of my boys had a lot of what could be thought of as OCD issues. He hated for things to be out fo order, he was always straightening things, lining them up, etc. Seemed a little off to us, but we didn't think much of it. He didn't have the clothing issues (my DD was a bit that way). With my son the "order" that he used to love stopped being important (too bad--at 15yo his room is a mess ), but he does have ADD and Tourette's Syndrome. All are neurological conditions.

My youngest also has some traits that could be considered OCD. He's 6yo and will likely grow out of them. For him it's different, though. He has to do certain things in a certain order, ie his bedtime routine. Has to hug and kiss each of us twice and say the exact same words every night. Not to make light of people who really have OCD because I know it's not a laughing matter for those who really have it, but one night when Jake was being worse than usual I said to my DH, "can you say OCD?" Jake heard me and said, "OCD! Mom, what does OCD mean?" Oops, I haven't said that within earshot of him again!

Hopefully Jake will not ahve the neurological problems that his brother has--it is something that I worry about since it tends to run in families.

 

[Christine]

My ped thinks my 4 year old might be OCD. I know he has a lot of "quirks", but I did not think it would be anything like this. They gave me a referral to a specialist (I am calling tomorrow).

Has anyone delt with this in such a young child. I am pretty anti-medication for someone this age.

A little background:
This clothes are always "wrong", too small, too tight, twisted.....
He hates his "new" shoes (the old ones were making his feet bleed)
Can not deal with change in routine at school (he goes to a Mom's Day Out twice a week)
Can not handle "sticky hands" (or necks, or faces, or anything!!)

Thanks for any input!
Christy

Christy,
My friend's daughter is very much like this. She never took her to see anyone because, honestly, it was just more of annoyance to everyone and didn't really cause the child any problems. She is now 9 years old and is gradually outgrowing a lot of these sensitivities. I don't know if they will ever totally go away, but they are manageable.

I guess the key is the degree in which they bother you or your child. Another friend of mine has a child with diagnoses Sensory Integration Disorder. If she even changed her routine on what road she took to get her older child to school, this child would freak out in the car like you wouldn't believe.

 

[Kaycee]

Sounds a lot like my son. He has Sensory Integration Disorder (the clothing issues, sticky hands, etc) and Asperger's / High Functioning Autism (routine).

My son also has Asperger's syndrome and sensory integration disorder. He was diagnosed when he was 11 and he's 16 now, but originally he was diagnosed with OCD when he was 6. So many disorders overlap in their presentation, and it's often difficult to determine exactly what is going on.

Off Topic: For what it's worth (and completely unrelated to the OP's situation) I was very much against using medication. That is, until my DS hit puberty and his disorder spun completely out of control. We went through the most horrendous two years I could ever imagine before we finally got him stabilized with the right meds. He is doing fairly well now, and he has been for the last two years, but I have no doubt that he would most likely be dead today if we had not medicated him. While meds are overused way too often, there is a time when their use is critical. I would just ask that everyone not judge those of us who medicate our children until you know our whole story.

 

[sap1227]

My son also has Asperger's syndrome and sensory integration disorder. He was diagnosed when he was 11 and he's 16 now, but originally he was diagnosed with OCD when he was 6. So many disorders overlap in their presentation, and it's often difficult to determine exactly what is going on.

Off Topic: For what it's worth (and completely unrelated to the OP's situation) I was very much against using medication. That is, until my DS hit puberty and his disorder spun completely out of control. We went through the most horrendous two years I could ever imagine before we finally got him stabilized with the right meds. He is doing fairly well now, and he has been for the last two years, but I have no doubt that he would most likely be dead today if we had not medicated him. While meds are overused way too often, there is a time when their use is critical. I would just ask that everyone not judge those of us who medicate our children until you know our whole story.

I just wanted to add, on this note, I am not against meds for everyone, all the time. I know they can be very helpful and a lifesaver to some. However, in the case of my 40 pound 4 year old, I am not ready to go there. For a more "adult" sized person, I would be a little more willing!


Thanks for all the input--it does sound like my initial thought is probably right (Sensory). I kept thinking he would out grow it, but it just seems like it is getting worse. I hate that every morning is a fight that ends up with both of us in tears--that is not the way you want your day to start.

I will update as I meet with the doctor.

Christy