Hello Moms,
I am looking for some advice...my son has been showing some signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (I think). My questions are, are these really signs or maybe just things kids go through. If they are signs, what treatment can be given to a three year old. And do you think I need to take him to a doctor asap or can this wait until his 4 year check up. I have a friend whose son is three also and does some of the same things so I'm wondering if this is just typical 3 year behavior, just learning how to deal with things maybe?
He will do different things and then stop doing them all together and then may start doing something else. For example...
-Currently he keeps asking me if his hands are clean, he may touch a rock or his feet and then ask if his hands are clean. But he will keep asking over and over again, he may also go and wash his hands when they are not even dirty, and 5 mins later do it again after touching something he thinks is dirty.
- he will ask me if someone is coming over and I will say no, then he will ask 2 mins later and keeps asking throughout the day. It's very frustrating.
In the past he has done the following but not currently doing them.
-go potty very very often, he would keep saying he had to go but didn't. Or he would go so often that barely anything would come out. Then one day he just stopped.
- went through a period where he would blink his eyes a lot, I had his eyes checked etc but nothing came from it. He wouldn't do it all the time, but he would just go through spouts through out the day of excessive blinking. It didn't happen all the time. Now that has stopped.
- he would scrape his bottom lip often with his top teeth, I had to always tell him to stop.
-would make a funny throat noise over and over when I would read to him or he was watching tv, I would ask him to stop and he would act like he didn't know what I was talking about or he would say that he likes it.
Okay I know this is long. Just looking for opinions.
Also want to say that he is very smart, always ahead of schedule in mile stones and learning new things. He has a great memory.
Thank you
I wouldn't say OCD, but perhaps aspergers. If he is highly intelligent...BUT most likely he is just really into observations and notices something and sticks with it. Also some kids just like to be clean. My daughter went through a phase where she liked to wash her hands. And perhaps his asking about the friends was just his way of saying he wanted someone to come over. Sorry I couldn't be more help
All my 3 year old kids did things similar. They all had what I call ickyphobia, but they grew out of it, all but one.
The only one who might have some OCD and anxiety tendencies also organized the stuffed animals at the Disney store by who they were in a line. She would do it with her animals at home too. She would rearrange the sweaters or underwear or scarves, gloves, whatever she thought was out of line at any store. Hallmark, Macy's, Sears, Walmart. She could be kept busy for hours. She still organizes store shelves if we are shopping and she gets bored.
She is now 13 and organizes my kitchen drawers and pantry very precisely, if they are messed up by her 10 yo brother she has a meltdown. Her clothes are organized by color and style, dresses, same color shirts, same color pants, underwear, socks, everything.
She has a morning routine that can't be broken, if it is the rest of the day is shot.
In her world, if she considers something to be off, and can't fix it she will have a stomacheache and anxiety over it.
And until I wrote all this down about her I never realized it might be detrimental, we just live with her idiosyncracies. I have never asked any doctors about it.
Honestly I think we as a society tend to over-analyze everything and are too quick to label children with nothing more than normal childhood tendencies.
I have a daughter who is 3 and half and will ask the same thing over and over also. I think a lot of it has to do with getting attention. She is also obsessed with washing her hands (although I think she mostly plays in the water). Just remember they are still learning about the world around them and very curious. Good luck and enjoy your son.
Normal. My almost 3 year old is very OCD. It's totally normal. (She is also very smart and ahead of her peers),
While what you mention does seem like OCD or some other high-functioning conditions, they could also be just normal adjustments.
The hand washing could be an independence thing or it could be a Disney/Nick Jr. thing. Both channels are constantly showing songs about cleaning up and washing up. To help keep this in check play with him in a messy activity like pudding painting.
The blinking, throat clearing, lip biting could be nervous tics and he's just become unaware that he's doing them. Sort of like when a girl twirls her hair on her finger.
The throat clearing could also be related to allergies or a tickle on the tonsils so if that continues, I'd probably run it by the pediatrician on his next visit.
M.
your child is normal.
My three year old has a few OCD things, but they mostly have to do with routine. Like which hole in the toothbrush holder HIS toothbrush goes in, or that he has to have something in each compartment of his plate. But, I am a definite creature of habit and routine and he is home with me, so I'm not suprised.
I would call his Dr. and see what he/she thinks. As a former teacher, 7 years, there are a few "red flags" that pop up to me when reading your description. The repetitive behavior (potty, washing hands, blinking, clearing throat) would be of particular concern. Also, that he will replace a behavior with another. I am not going to guess what it could be, because I'm not an expert, but I would definitely contact his Dr. For a lot of things, early intervention and coping skills are essential.
When my son started K4, his teacher asked me the first week if he had OCD issues, because the first thing he did upon entering class every day, was go wash his hands. LOL
He is 12, and I can promise you he is NOT OCD. I think it must just be a phase that some kids go through. He was very "sensory" aware when he was younger, too. He still is fairly sensitive to some things (smells in particular), but the other things he either outgrew, or learned to manage/deal with it (he is vocal about which sheets on his bed are the most comfortable, and the same with his clothing). At no point, however, did any of his heightened sensory awareness cause us to have to alter our lives. He sleeps on all the sheets we have for his bed, for instance, he just has favorites, lol.
In my layperson's opinion, I would say that unless your son is so overwhelmed by these "quirks" to the point that you must intervene and change your routine to make accommodations, then you have nothing to worry about. ;)
