My 8 Year Old Has Ocd

S.,

You need to contact a counselor right away. That was a tramatic experience for your son, and he probably doesn't understand why the police took his Dad away, because to a son, Dad can do no wrong.

Start, if you cannot afford one on your own, with the school, they may have a counselor on staff or help you with a person to talk with.

This is not OCD, but trama.

R. Magby

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councelling. good luck.

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If he has compulsions and thoughts that consume his mind, and a fear based on a traumatic event, he needs to see a Board Certified Child Psychiatrist as soon as you can. That is what you do to break his thought pattern, you find the proper professional to help you. Like all medical issues, serious all consuming psychiatric disorders require a medical doctor.

M.

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I agree with Kelly. That's not OCD. That's a legitimate fear, based on his experiences.

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This doesn't sound like OCD to me, more like PTSD. He just had something very traumatic happen to him. You need to seek out some type of counseling, whether it be by you talking with him, clergy, a counselor, whatever. He needs some type of reassurance that the police won't come take him away!

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This doesn't quite sound like OCD, based on what you've shared so far. However, that said, he would certainly benefit from talking to a child psychiatrist. I would make the call now ... it can take quite a while to get in for an appointment but it can be really worth it. Good luck!

I am so sorry you are going through this!!

Honestly I would try to find a good counselor if you can. Also, this could be not "true" ocd but more of a Post Traumatic Stress reaction because it came on suddenly after a trauma. Irrational fears and obessions can be triggered by a trauma like what he experienced.

Both of my sons went through a pretty serious trauma and they were deeply affected by it. My husband and I were so concerned, and this past March we decided to spend 45 minutes every day praying for them. We were praying for them before, but not that much or that consistently. Honestly there has been a "night-and-day" difference since then - we are amazed at the change in both of them. God is really doing a miracle.

If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know. God cares for you and wants to help you through this. It can be such a nightmare. I feel for you so much.

Warmly,
M

My 9 yo dd has OCD and was diagnosed a few years ago. We went through a lot of therapy and she now does very well. I strongly recommend therapy. Poor kid, it is very difficult to deal with our kids hurting. :( Good luck. Let me know if you want to talk privately.
S.
____@____.com

He needs to see a professional. He may qualify for victim services through the police dept.. give them a call and ask about it.

I don't think your son has OCD. I think it's more of an anxiety issue. I would try to talk with him about it, and if you can't work something out than I would seek professional help with a counselor.

I'm sorry to hear that news about your son. It may not be OCD - rather a trauma from seeing his Dad get arrested. Either way, I'd see if you could get him to see a psychologist he might be able to find ways to work out his concerns and fears.

Hi S.,

It sounds like you are a little overwhelmed by this whole situation. You say your son's doc diagnosed OCD and prescribed Xanax, but it increased anxiety so you took him back off of it. Without knowing how long he was taking it before you stopped, it is hard to make a judgement, but I do know that drugs that work on brain chemicals can be very dangerous and sometimes need to be slowly weaned off instead of just eliminated. Have you checked with your son's doc since? Does he know you discontinued the prescription?

You also say that your son is seeing a couselor and that is helping some. Is the conselor the doc that prescribed the Xanax?

Honestly, the best advice I can give is for you to get another medical opinion regarding the OCD while continuing with the counseling. If your son really does have OCD, he may be able to cope without medication (as long as counseling continues) or my need to try a different medication.

Counseling is not a quick fix, but you say it is helping so keep with it. Are you also seeing a couselor? I would recommend it for both of you. You have a lot of responsibility being a single mom and a lot of stuff to sort out regarding your ex. Counseling can really help you get to a place of confidence in yourself and your abilities as a parent. You and your son will both benefit.

Be brave! :)

Thats not OCD. I have OCD. you mention he has complusions...but what? for example. I have symetry issues, meaning I always have to be even. If some one touches my right foot they have to touch my left in the exact same spot. I have to have everything divisable by 3 as well. Like bites of food, or sips of water. or the number of strokes when I brush my teeth ect.

Hi Mama-
I am not sure exactly how OCD develops, but sometimes it is due to a trigger. You definitely need to take your baby to counseling immediately. They are never too young when major events like dad being arrested have happened. Anyway, the counselor may be able to work through your sons reasoning for going a little haywire and help him with tools to deal on a daily basis. The quicker you get him some therapy and help, the quicker he can get back to normal. The OCD may never go away, but perhaps he can funnel that energy into something with a purpose, like art or music. By the way, I have been told that music therapy and the learning of instruments can help with a number of disorders. I have even seen in on a number of programs, and have myself been through art therapy.
Good luck mama- take your beautiful baby to counseling--prayers are with you.
-E. M

Hello S., As the mother of 5 and having been a foster parent I want to add my 5 cents worth to your question and give you things to ponder.
For someone to be arrested means they have created a problem and they are being held accountable. You do not say if this is a husband or a boyfriend but is this person someone that sets life up so that your child faces fear of legal things often? I hope that you are not taking him to see this person at Santa Rita or where ever he is becasue that also will cause trama for him. I have visited out there and have seen children be miserable and embarassed to have someone see tem there. It's not best for the child. Becareful with your words, like if you are bad for not wearing the seatbelt the police will come and take you. This type of thing is not healthy and creates great fear and insecurity.
Having family members and close friends that are all in law enforcement, I know that they have to do their job and it has broken their hearts to have a woman begging tonot take the guy and seeing children that his behavior is hurting by them having to come. So please at some point help him understand that the law will not come after him if he has done nothing wrong. But just as he gets in trouble for breaking a window and has to be accountable for his actions that so does his father and he knew at the time of doing what ever he did that it was wrong. Help for families in this situation is out there and you can talk to the school to find a good person to help you. The elementry school may be closed now, but the disrict offices on Alma are open. Depending on what this man has done you might want help for yourself to be in a healthy place so you can see if this will be a one time thing or it is likely to happen again and if you should still have anything to do with him . Truma, is not something that you alone can always fix, it takes making a secure and safe enviroment for the brain to accept the actions not just the words. I truely hope that you will seek some help through a minister, or therepy of somesort. I also wish you great strength in making decisions about the relationship you want this man tohave with your child. Good Luck

I agree. OCD is compulsions not based on true fears. His are true fears, sounds like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD as someone earlier referred to). Seek counselling for him as soon as you can.