Will a parent and child both having OCD be linked?

[Ocdparentocdchild]

If a parent has an OCD diagnosis (for many years and engaged with therapy) but their child also develops OCD is this referred on to anyone?

A member of DP family is going through this and is concerned. MIL had made a stupid comment that it’s a safeguarding issue and they have the same GP so I think it’s adding anxiety to an already stressful situation.

Just wondering if the fact both have OCD will be linked ? Will anything happen ?

Does Your MIL work with vulnerable people? Why’s she chucking the word safeguarding around.

Any referral would be to support your Child via CAMHS etc but it’s not an automatic social services referral or anything. oCD can be awful but as you say there’s a strong hereditary component so it’s not unexpected and doesn’t pose a risk.

she works in a school so has had some safeguarding training. I was wondering about the genetic issue rather than a learned behaviour situation which is what MIL seems to be insinuating. It caused quite a problem at the weekend with her comments and we all felt very awkward and DP had to comfort his sibling.

While, to my limited understanding, there is likely to be a genetic factor, there could be a learned behaviour aspect. Children pick up behaviours/speech patterns etc from their parents. But even if this is purely behavioural, I wouldn't consider it a safeguarding issue. I've been a safeguarding lead in schools for over 20 years. Depending on the family, I might have a conversation with the parents, but there would be no safeguarding referral.

If a child seeks mental health services and they have a parent with a serious mental health condition, yes, it would be noted in the child’s record (I mean, assuming it comes up). But it’s not a safeguarding issue, unless the parent presents a risk of harm to the child.

I have mild OCD. My dad had quite serious mental health issues, including OCD, probably bipolar, a few other things. No one ever particularly cared. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I didn’t seek out any mental health services as a child and I didn’t live with my dad anyway.

Does she mean that having OCD in itself is a safeguarding issue or is the OCD sufferer inflicting their anxieties onto a child? For example, if someone’s OCD manifested as a fear of choking so they only ate puréed foods and they’d only allow their 4 year old to eat purées, that would be a safeguarding issue.

OCD often runs in families so a child might develop OCD and it not be a safeguarding concern, but if the child is learning disturbing rituals or behaviours from the parent that are limiting or negatively impacting their life then it could be a safeguarding concern. Or if a parent is neglecting or unable to provide proper care for a child due to their OCD then that could be a safeguarding concern.

I think MIL needs to butt out though especially as increased anxiety can exacerbate OCD symptoms - unless she has genuine concerns, in which case she should contact SS. It would probably be best for this family to step away from MIL IMO.