Does my 8yr old have OCD?

[natdeux]

She doesn't have hand-washing obsessions or switching light off etc, but is driving me crazy asking about timings, 'what time does it start, what time are we going, how long will it take to get there, how many minutes, how long are we there for, are we coming straight home, what time is daddy coming home, what time am i going to bed?????

I feel she is forcing me to make plans the whole time, which she then asks me to confirm over and over.

It has coincided with going to bed at reasonable hour and getting up several times in the evening in floods 'unable to sleep and very distressed.

I feel its attention she's after, but the habit seems to be getting a grip...?

[janpa]

Sounds like anxiety to me, rather than OCD.

[Doodlez]

I'm no expert but my DS (now aged 9) knew days of the week, times of the day and how to tell the time from a really early age.

Mix that with the fact that he does like to know what the plan is because he feels more secure and content when there is a plan, he knows the plan etc and basically, we've got the same as you!

[defineme]

Well it sounds exactly like my ds1, but he's been dx with aspergers syndrome since he was 4 (9 now).Anxiety/routine is 1 of his biggest problems.
If this is a new problem I'd be talking to school and even asking cahms for advice if it feels really ott.Something must have kicked this off and needs dealing with?

[natdeux]

She says she doesnt know why. Flies off the handle a lot - or in floods of tears. It feels hormonal and teenagery, but also anxiety rings true. She is very dominant and it really feels like controlling behaviour.

Last year we had a similar hysterical response over a period of weeks when I popped into the village shop leaving the children in the car for milk/bread/whatever. I have been doing it for years, but she got completely overanxious and started asking me BEFORE school and the second I picked her up from school whether we were stopping at the shop. I refused to stop, so we eventually got over it, but lots of hysterical crying and panic.

This feels similar. Just dont know how to crack it...

Thanks for all your comments...

[janpa]

One of the reasons I suggested anxiety is because I become obsessed with time when I am anxious, e.g. quite a few years ago when I was in a job I hated I used to wake all through the night working out how many minutes until it was time to get up, leave the house, get to work etc and when I was in the early stages of being pregnant (& v anxious as had had a few early miscarriages)I reverted to how many days (& then hours) until I had past when I had lost either of the previous two). I haven't really discussed this with anyone before, but I'm just wondering if this is some people's response to being anxious?

[SallyPheasant]

Hi Natdeux

I have been searching Mumsnet for 'anxiety' and came across your post. My dd is 9 and has been exhibiting very similar, almost identical behaviour, to your ds you describe in this old post.

I wondered (and hope) if you resolved this anxiety and if so, whether you would mind sharing any tips with me please? My ds behaviour is now beginning to make me worried although there has been no obvious event that has triggered it.

Thank you, Sally