Is this normal 2 year old behaviour? (OCD-like tendencies)

[naturopath]

Just read on another thread (the knif-fork-spoon one) something along the lines of "omg, you are even more OCD than my 2 year old!"

Now, may I start by saying that I am not in any way making any comments or profess to have any knowledge on OCD as a real problem.

However, I have in the last few months, noticed some OCD-type tendencies in my 2.6 year old ds. For example, having to touch neighbour's gnome thing on way home most days, having to touch ds2's head on various occasions (and he is v persistent about the fact that he has to do it), having a tantrum because someone else was sitting in the precise chair that he wanted to sit in at a toddler group thing (even though we'd never been there before)..

Is this normal or does it sound like the beginnings of OCD? I would obviously like to address the problem if so, but on the flip side, don't want to be wading in trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist.

tia

I'd think it sounds pretty normal tbh. I am not a medical professional and i do not have any knowledge on diagnosing or officially recognising OCD.
y 2.5 year old is the same, but I think it's more to do with the repitition(sp?) and security thing rather than a more serious issue.
I find that my ds1 wants to sit in the same chair, do the same things and touch the same things most days but I see that sort of behaviour in all his little friends too.
If you are really concerned about ds's behaviour, you could always speak to your hv and see about having some sort of assessment, but I'm sure it all sounds normal

I think its perfectly normal. Toddlers like routine. Its about them learning choice and control i suppose. And to be honest, children are generally odd little things. i wouldn't worry just yet x

Sounds perfectly normal to me. When DS1 was 2 yo he insisted on all the internal doors being shut before we left the house. At the time I thought he was destined to a life of lunacy but now at 4.5 yo he is much less obsessive!

Yeah normal I htink. My ds is 2.6 and has to have things his way. Doors closed, touching certain objects and meltsdown if he can't si where he wants to. Think it's just part of learning ho to take control of situations etc.

Perfectly normal - my ds went through a phase of having to line up certain toys in an exact straight line every time we left the house. That lasted a good few weeks/months and then just stopped. He also had a phase of having to wash his hands every time they got the smallest bit of dirt on them - fortunately that only lasted 2/3 weeks.

Seems to be boys more than girls though for some reason.

I agree it seems perfectly normal.
Both of mine have had these tendancies and both outgrown them.

I also remember a friend whose ds had a massive meltdown one night when she was getting him ready for bed as she tried to put his pyjama bottoms on before his top and she realised she must have generally always put the top on first and he took them off again and made her do it right. He is 6 now and she doesn't have thos problems now.

I think like others have said it is down to the familiarity, repetition and routine toddlers like at that age.