Common Presentations:

Somatic: irritable bowel, stomachaches, vomiting, headaches, difficulty breathing, and panic attacks
Executive Functioning: “stuck” thinking, difficulties with flexibility, preference for routine/structure, as well as a desire for tasks to be completed ideally or avoided altogether
Emotional Regulation: tendency to ruminate on obsessions representative of big emotional concepts (ex. fear of “the devil,” monsters or “bad things happening to family members” if compulsive behaviors cannot be completed)
Developmental Considerations: additional anxiety disorders and/or neurodevelopmental disorders are often co-occurring, which can contribute to avoidance of common social activities at school, home or in the community

Considerations:

OCD symptoms can be distressing not only for the person diagnosed, but for those who love them. Fatigue is a common experience among families managing OCD
Behaviors that may look like self-harm are not uncommon, and do not always represent an authentic desire to harm oneself (ex. skin picking, obsessive thoughts about death)
OCD is often undetected, as symptoms can present similar to anxiety, depression, and eating disorder. While some symptoms are immensely challenging, many OCD behaviors manifest in ways that are positively reinforced by the environment (ex. excellence in extracurricular or school activities)
Those with OCD often struggle silently, and if you are aware of your child’s needs, you have already made noteworthy progress

Diagnosis: as OCD can look like many other mental health conditions (ex. anxiety, depression, and Autism), a complete assessment involving cognitive, and psychological testing may be recommended when alternative diagnoses are considered
Interdisciplinary Care: it can be helpful to gather information from a variety of sources (medical, school, home, extracurricular) to gain insight into the function of your child’s OCD, and how others may be responding to it
Referrals: depending on the severity of symptoms, OCD may be treated in outpatient psychotherapy with Carroll-Wray Psychological Services, or through an intensive treatment program in the community. During the initial consultation both options will be evaluated for the optimal well-being of your child. Psychiatry is often an additional referral
Psychotherapy: exposure and response prevention therapy is an evidenced based treatment approach for OCD. The process involves education regarding the neurobiological function of OCD, and a structured approach to exposing the child to obsessions that typically grow through avoidance behaviors. While challenging, the process is carefully structured to consider your child’s unique coping skills and strengths, providing a safe and supportive environment for addressing symptoms