(was Re: Ask Dr. Chansky & Dr. Wagner)

[Guest guest]

Thanks !

Yes, it feels so good to see Ben doing so well, and yet, we are well

aware that this may just be a respite - we're enjoying it, but also

still trying to take advantage of the time to educate ourselves more,

and build up the support structure around Ben.

I'm not losing sleep over the number of our kids on our street with

OCD, but I feel that it is a question I at least must raise at this

point and, I guess it is the biologist in me that makes me see it as

a potential red flag.

I hope it doesn't come to a meltdown for Ben to realize he needs to

work on CBT with his Dr and us - there are still whispers of the OCD,

so I'm pretty sure he's aware it's not gone - I just think he can't

be bothered right now with all the new and fun things he's doing at

school - and after the past nine months, he's entitled to enjoy it as

much as possible :-)

Terry in NY

> Dear Terry,

> It's so encouraging to hear that your Ben is doing so well!

> Two comments about your last post. The first is, don't rule

out

> coincidence too fast. Annie's best friend in pre-school also turned

out to

> have OCD, and her other closest friend got encephalitis the same

week Annie

> did. Same doctor too. She ended up paralyzed on one side, so I have

always

> felt lucky that we just ended up with OCD. It's creepy to hear of

three kids

> on your street with OCD, but I would try hard not to worry too much

about the

> air, water, etc. We all have enough to worry about as it is!!

> As far as CBT when the meds are helping so much - yes, it's

harder. We

> went through that all last year. Annie didn't want to go to

therapy, insisted

> she didn't need it, etc. Then during a medication switch this

summer she had

> the worst relapse in years and wow - that changed her tune.

Suddenly she is

> much more cooperative. I don't think she remembered how bad things

were

> before she was on medication (1.5 years is a long time when you are

only

> eight). And it is strange because she has an exceptionally good

memory, but

> it seems that really bad OCD is like childbirth - the memory fades

after it

> is over. I don't have any solutions to this, since you can't

videotape his

> brain and you can't force someone to recall how they felt if they

don't

> remember... but it is something to be aware of.

> Take care -

>