Ocd? - Lyle,WA

Whether or not it's developing ocd is really impossible to say with the limited info you've shared. Plus, most of us here would not be qualified to make that diagnosis... but a good first step would certainly be to discuss this with her pediatrician.

It sounds to me like it may be an anxiety driven coping mechanism. Like a nervous habit. I wouldn't make the leap to ocd just yet. But it does sound like she's displaying some nervous habits that would also warrant a discussion with her pediatrician, and possibly a referral for some counseling or something to address the behaviors and their cause.

Best wishes.

I had a child with early OCD. It is very treatable, and the treatment was like turning off a light switch. You need to decide if this is interfering with her life or not, and if it is, find a board certified child psychiatrist, and do not worry about the naysayers, it is none of their business. Only you can make this decision, really.

Brains are flesh and blood. Things go wrong. Insert the word "pee" for every thing she is doing, and think of her urinary tract...you would not hesitate to help her if you could and you knew something was going wrong.

Mine is doing great now, and if I had it to do again, I would have sought treatment sooner than I did.

Good luck, no stigma...

M.

I am begging you to listen to Martha.

I have had anxiety/OCD my entire life and can remember doing many, many things as early as 4 or 5. My parents either didn't notice (I can't imagine that!) or chose to ignore them. As I got older, they tried to punish me for the little annoying things they noticed thinking that would "scare" me away from doing them. By the time I was a sophomore in college I was bordering on agoraphobia because I couldn't leave my room at certain times. I finally had a meltdown and begged for help. 18 months of cognitive behavioral therapy and a low dose of an SSRI (selective seratonin reuptake inhibitor - this is, after all, a chemical imbalance and not some big scary mental health issue!) and I have been able to control and manage the OCD as an adult.

I am now 31, so my therapy was 10-12 years ago, but to this day I can use what I learned and I SO wish I had gotten this help when I was little. Can you imagine how much easier school would have been? I graduated in the top 10 in my class despite an untreated disorder, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone. My anxiety (and therefore OCD symptoms, they're related) spiked after the birth of each of my children, but this time I was PREPARED.

Best of luck and like Martha said, no stigma!!!

if not OCD maybe a coping mechanisim. Taker her to her Dr and discuss. It could pass. Kids are sometimes quirky. :)

Before jumping to a conclusion, or worrying, I would suggest gathering some information.

First, make a note of what is going on when you see her counting, or touching her eyes, or picking her lips. Note: time of day; what has she just done (just finished eating, watching tv, just got up from sleeping, etc) or what she is getting ready to do (go to preschool or getting ready for bed etc); is she tired or hungry; what is going on around her (a sibling is being loud, or is the room warm or cool, are there sounds like tv or someone playing music, etc). Make a few columns in a notebook for TIME, ACTIVITY RECENTLY COMPLETED or ANTICIPATED ACTIVITY, ENVIRONMENTAL SOUNDS or something like that. You may notice a pattern, or a specialist may.

Then, try to capture her behaviors on your cell phone camera or video camera. Try to be discreet, that is, don't call attention to the fact that you're filming her.

Do this for a few days or a week, and then show the video and journal to your pediatrician. She just may be enjoying her counting skills, and she might just have really annoyingly dry chapped lips. Or your pediatrician may say that it looks a little out of the norm and refer you.

And in the meantime, try little distractions, like offering her Chapstick for her lips, or getting her to sing a little song with you, and maybe getting her a fun activity that will keep her hands occupied (Playdoh or something similar). But don't appear anxious, or sound like you're trying to change her behavior. Simply try to alleviate her anxiety in a subtle way.

I think you should discuss it with her pediatrician. Good luck!

I would check with your insurance. You can check their website or call in. Also, her pediatrician should be a good resource. You might even think about taking her into the school district office. She should be starting kindergarten soon and districts have all sorts of people that can help you. And remember... do not take no for an ansewr. If you feel your child needs some sort of attention but the pediatrician is saying that she doesn't, let him know that while you respect his oppinion, you would still like her to see a specialist and ask for a referal.

I think it is. Listen to Martha.

Start with her pediatrician, ask them for advice. If there is an issue they can refer you to someone who can help. If for some reason they say it's not an issue and you believe deep down something is wrong, go with your gut and get a second opinion.