repetitive behaviour

[maedhbh]

Hi,

just wondering anyone have any experience of repetitive behaviour - such as having to hit floor or wall twice etc... six year old boy, very bright, very verbal, reading and writing ok, very happy child, but seems to be stuck sometimes ondoing this stuff - i.e hitting wall twice or ground twice etc... likes to repeat things sometimes too.. is doing fine in school - not particularly great at concentration but is gettin on ok, gets on fine in summer camps, outside school sports and other activities.. but .. never sure he's really concentrating.. sometimes feel he's bit outside of things.. but then is popular with other kids etc so don't know if I'm imagining it... only child so nothing to compare to!

thanks for any replies

I was this kind of child, and I did go on to have mild OCD. I am fine now, but I would say keep an eye on these behaviours, as if it is related to OCD (and it absolutely might not be, of course!), it is much easier to treat earlier rather than later.

hi maedhbh
Being a childminder I have a number of children each with a different character, one little boy I have now does exactly the same thing my advice if not already done is to take him to the doctors as it could be the start of O.C.D(obsessive compulsive dissorder).
My friends husband is 37 and as a child his obsessions included..turning light on/off a certain number of times....running upstairs and not standing on a particular pattern of carpet and sadly he was ignored by his parents and family so when my friend met him his obb. were bad, over the years he has calmed down a lot but as a HGV driver he still has to do a particular sequence with his hands on the wheel.....I hope you have found this info useful and you have a great little boy there

ds1 does this - lots of things have to be symmetrical. He does have OCD. Is it worse when he's anxious/tired?

I remember doing this as a child, I still do it now sometimes, but its in control, and not anywhere near as compulsive as when I was a child.

I would still keep a close eye on the situation, everybody reacts differently.

The only thing I suffer now is with the lack of feeling in control, so it could be to do with obssesive control behaviour, making him feel out of control, and doing repeats makes him feel better and more in control! (I pick skin, horrible I hear you say, but its the only thing I'm in full control of, nobody can say no don't do it)

Sorry if that sounded gobbledigook its hard to explain, perhaps there is a professional out there that can explain it better!

Saying that he sounds grounded at school and with his friends, so may not affect him in the long run!

Good luck!

Thanks for all your replies - will keep eye on situation... thing of being in control strikes a chord... have tendency to be "controlling..." I think... so need to stand back, let him be in control of stuff etc..

Naturally, since I posted - he's not done it once I dont' think!
thanks again