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Decoding OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder By Sue Marquette Poremba
The actual symptoms themselves are less important than the way they overtake a child's life. When the child is unable to function without the compulsive behavior, parents need to seek a diagnosis.
Experts agree that parents need to get a formal diagnosis so the child can be properly treated. A mental health professional, usually a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, will administer rating scales that measure the OCD levels.
"The child knows he doesn't want to keep thinking the obsessive thoughts, but he, like many people, doesn't recognize the compulsion," says Dr. Joyce Slater, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Medical College of Virginia. The diagnosis includes looking for the behavioral pattern.
OCD cannot be cured, but children can be given the tools to lessen the anxiety that cause the obsessions. If the obsession can be tackled, the compulsions aren't necessary.
There are three methods of treatment: medication, behavior therapy and a combination of behavioral therapy and medication. Therapy is usually the first step, especially for children, and if it doesn't work, medication is tried to re-establish the chemical balance, which lessen the obsessive ideas and thoughts.