Repetitive questions from child

[MrsandMrsSmith]

DS is 8. He asks the same question dozens of times a day. It isn't a "what are we doing today?" or "what's for lunch?" type question. It's a question with a single, factual answer that he already knows. He'll ask the same one for a number of weeks and then move on to a new one. He may have more than one going at a time. Think along the lines of "what colour is grass?" He's talking for no reason. There is no need to ask the question.

Is it anxiety? Is it a form of intrusive thinking? If I'm honest I am similar but I'm doing it inside my head rather than out loud. I already know my thought patterns aren't healthy and involve other intrusive thoughts.

Should I be worried about him? Is there anything I can do to help? Or is it normal and nothing to worry about?

It sounds a bit like ds’s tics he had at the same age. He wasn’t too happy in school and they were worse then I think. I tried ignoring and interrupting to try and break the habit. The interruption helped I believe. He no longer tics (14) but until recently asked questions endlessly without listening to the answer and would therefore ask them again at another time, he said they were more like musings. Some were impossible to answer though, like how much money is there in the world etc Etc.
Now he tells me boring facts continually about his favourite pop star but he’s much happier and very lovely.

I wouldn't say it's normal in the sense that I don't think it's usual for an 8 year old to do this. I think that you also suffer from intrusive thoughts could indicate that is the cause of DS's questions.

What does he say when you ask him why he does it?

He says he doesn't know why he's doing it but I think he's starting to find it annoying himself. I don't really expect him to be able to control it at his age but it would be good to know how to help him with it.

I think he gets slight separation anxiety despite his age. He's fine away from me when he's in a different location to me, but doesn't like being away from me in the same place iyswim. It might have started as a way to just get my attention or check I'm there but it's gone beyond that now.

I might look into mindfulness for children to see if that helps.

OCD - which can be genetically inherited - please call the dr for cbt referral as it gets worse!