My Daughter started what I now know as rituals since she was 4 years old. She started not liking clothing on, pulling at shirts saying they felt 'wrong', then velcro on shoes had to be tight, then refusing socks at all. Getting worse over the years to not using soap, couldn't turn taps on and off, couldn't wipe herself from the toilet. not wanting clothes to be washed, no soap/bubbles in the bath, if touched her she would have to shower which would take hours. No toothpaste. The list went on and more things added daily, cutlery, specific cups to use etc. Mornings were the worst for school because basically I couldn't get her to put anything on. Shoes became a no go too. She became very depressed. She was so distressed and upset she would lash out at me and could go on for hours. I knew that something was seriously wrong and searched for help everywhere I could. It is so sad when a team of professionals tell you to 'sit down, have a cup of tea and chill!"
Now to me if you think of OCD, that is not the 'typical things' i.e OCD sufferers normally wash all the time.
So to tell an authority that I believed my child had OCD was unthinkable. I was made to feel that how dare I go against 'their' diagnosis of a child that they classed as having 'Behavioural difficulties'.
2 years on from fighting a correct diagnosis she is now 8. I have fought for her which seems like forever. I took her to London and low and behold they diagnosed OCD in 2 hours!! The trouble was that because of all the time they never diagnosed her it was the most severe case they had ever seen.
By 'treating' her as a child with behavioural difficulties that was the worst thing they could have done to her. They bullied her to do things that now we know was against all professional advice. They then supplied their diagnosis to school and therefore bullied yet again. Daily tears and total fear of even entering school.
My reason for writing on here is my daughter has lost years of her life. These years should be the best and happy memories made to look back on. Sadly those 2 years were the most unhappiest. I do not believe that any authority including 'education depts' have ever Diagnosed nor treated a CHILD with OCD before. So I believe my daughter is becoming a 'trial'. Maybe all these children with 'behavioural difficulties' are going through their doors and they see no change. What happens to these children in later life. JUST MAYBE they do have OCD and you know what? it can be helped and cured with CORRECT treatment.
My daughter started immediately on tablets because of the severity by this time. I saw immediate effect. My daughter returned from one that during this time I hardly recognised and felt helpless for. I even started questioning my own parenting skills... was it my fault? did I spoil her? Should I have been more firm, strict? It was never my fault I know now. It is something that happens within the brain and they are still trying to figure out alot about that too.
She struggles daily still, and we go up and we go down. But with continuing treatment we'll get her through this.
After writing all of this, I just want to know are there any other children in Cambridgeshire whom have OCD? If you have a child with OCD you'll recognise the fact that they feel ODD/Different and would be so nice to get these children to meet and play/talk and just know there are other children in this world that have the same as them.
Thank you for reading. I am new to Mumsnet and just wanted to talk to other parents about all of this. My family told me that maybe there are forums and thats where I need to start asking. Where better than Mumsnet.