, germs WAS Re: Re: hyperactive

December 30, 2002

Once again, Kathy, thank you! We are in the process of moving to

the east coast, so we aren't officially with a new doctor yet. He

has not started any medications, although CBT is indeed working. It

was just so surprising to have my four year old son talk about germs

when I don't ever remember talking or thinking about that with him.

It's really an amazing process. Like you said, I cried hard in the

shower and woke this morning to a new day. Today while taking off

his shoes, I actually chewed on his toes to make him laugh! It was

such a belly laugh, too!

Thanks,

>

> >>does not

> have " cleanliness compulsions " told us that the reason he has to

> have mommy take his shoes, socks or pull-up off is because of

> GERMS. I really just wanted to burst out in tears.

>

> Boy I remember those early days when it seemed my then newly-5 yo

daughter was somehow reading a book on OCD behind my back and trying

out the obsessions and compulsions listed there for effect. I

freaked too but in the end some stuck and others just were passing

through. I'm sorry I don't remember, is your son taking an SSRI

and/or are you adjusting his dose right now, by chance? I found out

that my daughter reacts to changes in her SSRI or dose by briefly

having almost all the common Os and Cs. These days I just expect

germs or some other new (for her) O or C to pop up transiently when

we do this.

>

> Next time this comes up, why not ask your son if you take off one

shoe, will he take off the other? Play games with dirty socks, be

silly and juggle them or whatever. Anything to demonstrate that

these things are not disgusting and germy and to be avoided at all

costs, and to keep him touching and interacting with the things that

OCD is telling him to avoid. I particularly hated this type of

compulsion because untreated, down the road, it's limiting in so

many ways--can't go on an overnight because can't remove shoes

without mom, etc. etc.

>

> Take care,

> Kathy R. in Indiana

>

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