Can anyone recommend self-help books/ techniques for DS (10yrs) who is borderline Anxiety/OCD?

[NormaSnorks]

(Posted here as well as General Health, as I thought this might be more relevant)

DS (age 10) has always been a sensitive, anxious child.
e.g. anxieties include:

• Sensitive to labels/ fabrics, smells (Good and bad)

- A bit 'funny' about dirt and germs - makes a fuss if cutlery is water-stained from the dishwasher/ if someone 'breathes over' his food

• Worries about bugs/insects touching him/ being in his shoes
• Won't go barefoot in sea in case fish touch his skin...

Writing it down, he DOES sound a bit obsessive, but to be honest, it doesn't really affect him too much in everyday life, so I've never felt the need to raise it with the GP for example.

However he has just gone into Year 6 at school - a stressful year, as he has exams to get into his next school.

I've noticed that his anxiety and stress has heightened already, and some of his sensitivities are more pronounced

I really don't want to start off on the GP/ CAMHS route until I'm sure we've exhausted the other options first.

I just wondered if anyone could share any good ideas, tips, resources, books which might help use learn (together) how to just keep his anxiety and actions within manageable levels?
Is there any kind of CBT I could learn to help him for example?

Many thanks for any help.

have a look at the out of synch child

out-of-sync-child.com/ you can buy the books on amazon etc

"Freeing your child from obsessive compulsive disorder" by Tamar E. Chansky

I read this and DD read what i thought were relevant bits. It help us enormously. With rewards, it helped her stop many of her rituals. I did go down the Camhs route later on when I realised she was counting in blocks of numbers that had to be even and she has since been diagnosed with OCD tendancies but by that time we had more or less got it under control with the use of this book.

She was about the same age as your son.
Unfortunately, whilst I think it has given her the power to overcome the need to act on her thoughts and apply logic, she does still have the battle in her head. Other people wouldn't even think about some of the things she has to think about and dismiss.

At the moment (12) she seems a bit moody and sad some of the time. I don't know whether that is just normal teenage angst/hormones (she's very physically mature) or whether it is the OCD.

It's just horrible isn't it.

Good luck. I hope the book helps.

The book describes it as being like junk mail. Most people have a filter like the spam box which filters out thoughts that are not rational and things don't even cross their mind.

OCD people don't have this filter and have to do it manually. Hence the fear of breathing over food, fumes, contamination etc all get through. Some the child is able to dismiss themselves but in times of greater anxiety they are not as efficient in their processing and rationality can go out of the window.

Have you ruled out autistic spectrum disorders? These can cause hypersensitivity to sensory input.