Seeking Advice About OCD

I would take her to a psychologist (not a psychiatrist - they deal with drugs to help disorders. They can diagnose, but they're also much more expensive). My husband has had OCD since that age and I just finished my degree in psychology, so with that being my background, my advice is to take her in. You won't get "stuck" in the system. But you may get an answer to your questions and if there is something, you'll get a diagnosis and ways to help her. To diagnose for OCD, you'll have to answer: Does it consume more than an hour a day? Is is severely interfering with normal life? With bleeding hands, I'd say that's serious enough to get the advice of a professional. It could just be a phase, but if it is, you'll feel better hearing it from a professional. Do it for her and for you. Good luck!

Talk to her teacher. It is not for nothing that she seems to be scared, it may be something that they studied in class. I know in kindergarten my sons class studied germs- he got a little obsessive on me for awhile- then it passed. That would be my first suggestion of places to check. If that is the case- this will either pass, or will give you some background to work with her on.

Hey H.
My brother had this when we were little. My parents had to put vasalene and gloves on at night so they wouldn't be so dry. As for getting her to stop washing all the time it will go away with time I am sure, As long as she is being reassured that it's not THAT important to wash your hands. It doesn't sound like it is that uncommon so I wouldn't fret about it too much.

H.
Oh boy do I sympathize with you. We went through this with my oldest son. For a while there it was bad enough that he did need meds. But the best thing for him was counseling, it did wonders. She taught him that his OCD is like a worry monster and we used this thing from Harry Potter to make the worry monster go away, I can't even remember now what the saying was. But anyway, find something she could relate to. Don't hesitate to call your doc, it sounds like you need to. If you aren't wanting meds, you don't have to go that route, there are great counselors out there that can do the trick. Good Luck!

Hi H.....I have OCD...and it can really be a life affecting disorder. The only thing that has really helped me long term is a psychologist. I don't really know how I "got" it either. But..over time (I've had it since before middle school) it's definitely lessened to a degree that's manageable. I don't think it will ever be gone. I'm a perfectionist...it's just part of my personality, but I'm sure your daughter can learn to deal with it, through the help of a professional, so it isn't affecting her quality of life. Good luck!!!

I am sorry. It may just stem from fear and anxiety that may be helped through talking to someone. She should talk to a psychiatrist. Talk to someone at her school or your Doctor, they will be able to direct you to the right professional.
Good luck!

I would call your pediatition. And talk to her teacher, see what happens at school, it maybe cause by an over protective teacher....telling the kids that they will get sick if they touch anything after they wash there hands. She may be extra sensitive to the teachers directions.
For the dryness, try putting on a good unsented lotion (lubidurm, kurel, eucerin) then putting on gloves or mittens at bed time. For the cracks if she has any put some triple antibiotic on it, before the lotion.

Seek medical advice they can help her get the tools she needs now to help over come her fears, and in her mind they are real, she is young enough that the problem can be dealt with but she needs professional help. Be supportive,reinforce everything is okay, touch the objects before she does and show her nothing happened to you, be patient, if it is OCD she cannot control it and that is were medical intervention is needed. Good luck to you and your daughter, I know what it is like my oldest daughter has some similar tendencies but isn't OCD, and I know that hers as mild as they are can be frustrating.

I personally don't think that it's something that needs medical attention, I would let her "keep her hands clean" and just make sure she put on lotion her hands after she's done eating (since she won't after washing them)and then again at night before she goes to sleep. At night would be the best time since that will allow the most time for it to absorb. I'm sure with age she'll be fine.

Check with her teacher. They probably read a story or learned something in class that scared her.

talk to your doc....soon!!...

this may be ocd...or it may be there is something else bothering your daughter...someone may have told her something really scary about germs....or been really strict about washing her hands before she eats....she may have even been scared by a commercial on tv.....but catch it in the bud before it gets to be a huge problem....

perhaps a non-threatening, calm conversation with some one might help allay her fears...a doc or a therapist would be able to tell if it's really a problem or just some kind of childhood fear....

for her skin...how about getting her a pretty pair of cotton gloves and creaming her hands well before bed then covering them with the gloves for while she sleeps.......use an unscented cream like keri or vanacream....your doc can recommend one and your daughter should accept the doc's suggestion because docs know about germs etc

my daughter is ocd....but she didn't get help til she was nearly an adult....her behaviors weren't overwhelming....but now when i look back i can recognize the patterns...and i can even recognize a touch of it in me too....

take care....let us know how she's doing...

D.

I recommend speaking with your pediatrician, to start with. She may not need treatment via medication, but something is obviously scaring her, otherwise she would not be so obsessive about washing her hands to the point that her skin is becoming injured. Since this has been going on for more than six weeks, it is time to find out what you can do as a parent to reassure her. After all, a main part of the body's defense against infections is intact skin, which sounds like is becoming less and less intact with this constant hand washing. Not only that, but I'm sure her hands must hurt and she it sounds like she is living with a lot of fear. Your pediatrician may suggest speaking with a counselor and can make a recommendation as to who is appropriate in your area.