I believe my child has OCD but know body will help

[Buriedalive]

Having ocd myself, I sort of know what signs to look out for. I now believe my 6yo is suffering. He's been like it from being a baby but it's habits are gradually getting worse.
I've been to the doctors with him twice and between both visits he's gotten worse.
I'm due to go back at the end of January and low and behold he's got even worse since the last visit.
Has anybody been through this? I keep getting fobbed off with, he will grow out of it. But I really don't think he will.
How did you receive help?

Are they habits that he may have picked up from you? Are you getting help for your OCD? What sort of behaviours is he showing?

Can you see if you can get HIM assessed privately?

Many children display OCD type behaviours and do grow out of them OP. How is your management of your own OCD?

The things I struggle with are not the same things he does. So I don't think it's come from me (I hope not anyway).
He won't touch hot food what so ever, he does eat really well during the day and because of this they're not interested in helping.
When he does eat cold food however it has to be inspected, sniffed and pulled apart before he eats it. He refuses to eat things that don't look 'right' for example, ham.. It's not all one shade of pink, therefore he can't eat it.
He couldn't eat his bread the other day because he had convinced himself it smelled like garlic bread, even though it didn't. He gets extremely worked up about it.

As a baby he had a fear of buttons and zips, which I found was common for children. This has now esculated to him refusing to wear shirts, jeans or anything with buttons or zips and since Christmas.. Hoodies.
Now he's decided his trousers (that fit him) are too long, he gets so worked up about it and has to take them off.
He puts his school jumper on and pulls it down to check its OK.. I'm not sure what he's checking for but on Friday he told me it wasn't right. I'm not sure whats not right about it so I can't help him, which ends up in a meltdown.

I have had lots of cbt and it has helped me. I've also been on medication which I've come off about 1 year ago, and feel OK. I know where to find help for myself and I have lots of people to talk to who understand what I'm going though. I just don't know how to help him.

That kind of just sounds like being a child.

What are your OCD triggers?

Children do pick up on it when their caregivers are carrying a high level of anxiety. It has an impact on their life.

It sounds like you panic when he gets upset or picky or anxious about things.

I suspect it would help him if you simply relaxed instead of worrying that every little wobble is a sign of a serious disorder. These things aren't a big deal so don't react like they are or like his distress is. It will reinforce his reactions otherwise. "Mum is getting upset so I'm right to be upset about this."

Have you got a local CHAMS team? Sometimes you can self referral without a doctor. You really have to fight for these kind of things when kids are so young. After years of visits to health visitors, nurses, doctors i Have finally got my son under a Children's doctor, he's 5 in Feb. I am certain her has ADHD (dad has it) but they said they won't formally diagnose until he's 7yrs.

My son didn't walk until he was 2.5yrs and is behind on gross motor skills amongst other things. OP keep taking him to the doctor and asked to be referred. I hope yous get the help you need soon.

Go with your gut OP - you know your child better than people on here - go back to GP

user7522689

Stop with the guilting FFS 🙄

@myBlueMoonbeam

Is actually quite common for OCD parents to have OCD children or children with anxiety

Guilting? Ok. I was going for reflection. Altering a response is a practical thing the op can do. Her child doesn't live in a vacuum and she talks about not knowing how to help when he's distressed. Making sure her anxiety isn't inadvertently feeding his anxiety is something she can do to help.

www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people/information-for-parents-and-carers/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-in-children-and-young-people-information-for-parents-and-carers

Have you considered that if there is an issue it might actually be sensory?

I agree with @user those sound like very normal things that kids do. He's trying to figure things for himself.

It seems you need to try and relax and let do his thing. If you do feel there is a concern (but honestly he sounds like a normal child) I would look about a play therapist. They a fantastic!
Sometimes when their is a parent with a condition, there can be a risk of projecting our own fears to our kids and they can very elsely pick up on this. I say this in the kindest way.

My ocd is cleaning and health and safety related. I do keep my cool when he doesn't eat, i don't fight with him or battle anymore. He eats plenty during the day so I know he's not hungry, but it's his behaviour towards food that was concerning me.
I've had this problem since he was 2, and while everyone tells me it will get better he's gotten worse and worse and hasn't shown a single sign of getting better.

No, I never considered sensory, I've just explained my conserns to the doctor and she said he'd grow out of it 🤔

SayFriday, I understand
He has an appointment at the end of January to review what we've already gone over. I'll just explain were he's at right now and see what they make of it.
Thank you for the advise though everyone, Its helped reassure me a little.

I was going to suggest poss ASD - sounds much more like that than OCD to me.

You just have to keep pushing. It took me a year of trying to convince my sons school and then me going to the GP with him (because the school were less than fecking useless) with a further two years of assessment. He was 10.5 when he was finally diagnosed.

slipperywhensparticus

@myBlueMoonbeam

Is actually quite common for OCD parents to have OCD children or children with anxiety
I am well aware of this I have OCD as does my son plus ASD so wind your neck in

There is a charity called OCD Action, it has both and adult and child arm. Maybe worth contacting them for some support guidance for yourself and possibly your LO?