OCD traits/behaviours?

[Blossom4538]

Hi all,

We were speaking with a professional today and OCD was mentioned. What traits or behaviours do your little ones have please?

Dd is almost 8 and has an ASD (High Functioning) diagnosis. Appreciate OCD can be co-morbid.

Thanks!

So, my DD has a habit of always going to the toilet ... a lot! It interferes with her daily life and we are working on strategies to help. I wonder if just an ASD behaviour or partly OCD. I guess sometimes she has other intense behaviours.

Hi Blossom. My DS's OCD took exactly this form so it's certainly possible. He had CBT therapy which helped a lot, though the OCD does tend to creep back in different guises. Happy to discuss in more detail if you'd like to PM.

Thank you.

Camhs have suggested we follow a graded approach in trying to get her to wait a little longer when she needs to go, and talking about strengthening her bladder, like a muscle. Is this similar to the approach you followed?

What other tendencies have you seen? x

Hi will PM with more detail a little later. x

The only tendencies I have seen are:

1. Tendency to obsessiveness with regard to interests - so, they only have a couple, which verge on a special interest (and not in the presence of ASD)
2. Magical thinking - which rationally is bonkers! For instance, thinking the OCD behaviour will prevent some catastrophe, when they cannot control the world!
3. Rituals - number rituals such as light switch flicking, tapping a spoon on a bowl, etc a number of times until “it feels right”! Or, hygiene - obsessive hand washing, use of a knife and fork to eat say a packet of crisps, dislike of touching coins (germs!), etc!

Going to the toilet a lot dominated DD’s thinking at school - she got into the habit of not drinking very much!