Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Hi, Jas and welcome. What a wonderful daughter you have! I am so impressed that she was able to diagnose herself! I have two daughters with OCD-- (11) was diagnosed at seven (after being very " different " her whole life " ) and Hannah (13) who was diagnosed at eleven. We were struggling with when Hannah had her onset and she managed to hide it from us for a year too! I have OCD as well (so do many family members) and I still wonder how I missed it! The important thing is that when your daughter came to you, you believed her and did what was necessary to help her. How awesome is that? She is a lucky girl. Don't blame yourself for passing it on to her--I know how you feel but it isn't your fault. I know that I am the reason my girls have OCD but I know that I am not the blame. We would never intentionally do this to our kids! My youngest one is also cross-eyed and she got that from me too. Genetically speaking, I wasn't very considerate as far as is concerned. Our children not only inherit our weaknesses, they inherit our strengths as well. It is your strength that has brought her to where she is now. Good luck with the therapy and pat yourself on the back--you are doing the right things. Kelley in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Hi Jas, Welcome, glad you found this group! I have a 15 yr old son whom OCD began for back in 6th grade; he's now in 10th grade. I found this group not long after his behaviors began, and it has been the BEST support for me since! My son's OCD at least comes from my side of the family (don't know enough about my ex's side to determine if he got it from both). I've always had OCD tendencies, my mom definitely has them. I told my son where I feel it came from and that " I'm sorry, you just seem to have got hit full force! " He also had had the " tendencies " at a younger age but in 6th grade suddenly had OCD 24/7 and severe. Well I'm so glad your daughter felt she could now open up about it! With my son's compulsions and meltdowns, he wasn't able to hide it. Don't feel guilt that you couldn't pick up on it. I went thru a few OCD episodes (like the counting, a bit about germs) as a teen, but they were short-lived. I don't think any of it would have been obvious to anyone in my family, it was so much more internal and those type things are easy to hide. How great that you've got someone experienced to help her with CBT. And since your daughter has sought help, you know she is motivated to conquer this, that'll be such a huge help in her therapy! We weren't lucky enough to have anyone near experienced and have dealt with it all on our own (and the help of this group!). As we say, there really is a light at the end of this tunnel, things will improve!! Please keep us updated on how things go, with the appt, at home, etc. Again, welcome! single mom, 3 sons , 15, with OCD, dysgraphia and Aspergers , 15, nonidentical twin (OCD tendencies) Randall, 19 (OCD tendencies) > Hi, > I'm new here. My fourteen year old daughter recently told me and > my husband that she has OCD. She diagnosed herself after reading > about a character with OCD in a book with symptoms like hers, then > looked it up on the internet. That happened about a year ago and Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2004 Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 Jas: You're still in the shock and grief stage. But you will get through that. Thank God, you discovered the OCD while your sweet daughter is still at home and you have ample years to help her learn to cope. Maybe your gene pool aided the OCD issues in her life. . . but think of all the things she DOESN'T have to deal with b/c she is YOUR daughter. She has some great genes, too. We are telling ourselves (with our ll year old son) that if he can learn at these young years the discipline and fortitude to fight back OCD, think how far ahead he'll be in the game of life. So many adults are still victims of their circumstances and have not learned be be proactive to find solutions to help their lives. With God's help and with the parents on this list, experienced professionals and strong family support, you will get through this, too. Be encouraged, new to group Hi, I'm new here. My fourteen year old daughter recently told me and my husband that she has OCD. She diagnosed herself after reading about a character with OCD in a book with symptoms like hers, then looked it up on the internet. That happened about a year ago and she has been keeping it a secret since then. She says that she has been this way for as long as she can remember. She has symmetry issues, counting rituals, and germ issues among others. My heart breaks for her that she has been keeping this inside for so long. My husband and I have been trying to figure out for years what is up with her. She has been easily frustrated and quick to anger, and it has been disruptive to the family, although this has improved as she has matured. She is mildly ADD as well, although she still does well in school, as she is also intellectually gifted. I immediately took her to my son's (he is ADHD) psychiatrist who sent her to a CBT specialist and we had our first appointment. Although I am hopelul that it will be helpful, I have been very sad. The OCD predisposition comes from my side of the family, my dad and I both have some symptoms. I feel guilt for the genes and guilt that I didn't pick up on the OCD given my family history. I feel sad that she has been facing this by herself for so long, thinking that she has had to be alone, although I understand because I have often felt this way myself. I have been reading these posts for about a week, and you all are very supportive. Thanks for listening. Jas Our list archives, bookmarks, files, and chat feature may be accessed at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// . Our list advisors are Gail B. , Ed.D., Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., Aureen Pinto Wagner, Ph.D., and Dan Geller, M.D. Our list moderators are Birkhan, Castle, Fowler, Kathy Hammes, Joye, Kathy Mac, Gail Pesses, and Kathy . Subscription issues or suggestions may be addressed to Louis Harkins, list owner, at louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Hi, I know how hard it is to physically do everything for your daughter; I was there a few weeks ago with my 7 year old. They are surprisingly strong at that age, too! I take it the OCD was bad at school, too, and that's why you took her out? Have you started the CBT yet? We are doing better with my daughter, she can get dressed on her own now, but not on school mornings. I think if she could wake up on her own and then have a good 2 hours before school she could manage, but she just can't seem to handle a morning routine. She also has (for now) eliminated the bathroom saga - we never had a handwashing problem, it was more hand " drying " . Hang in there, don't give up on the meds or therapy, it can get worse before things get better. Good luck! nna. NY > > My six year old daughter has severe OCD to the point that we have > recently had to take her out of school. We are lucky to have a very > good CBT program at a local university avivalable to us. We spent > several months with a therapist to no avail. She has had OCD since > she was 3 and a half years old. Our life is nuts right now. We have > to physically remove her from the bathroom and I'm sure I don't have > to tell you how distressing that is. Some days we have to physically > dress her to be able to make it to therapy. We have recently started > her on 25mg. of luvox daily. The medication made her too restless to > fall asleep so we have switched to afternoon dosage. Some days are > better that others but we are trying to take one day at a time. It > is so comforting to have found this group. Sometimes as parents, we > feel so all alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Hi, I know how hard it is to physically do everything for your daughter; I was there a few weeks ago with my 7 year old. They are surprisingly strong at that age, too! I take it the OCD was bad at school, too, and that's why you took her out? Have you started the CBT yet? We are doing better with my daughter, she can get dressed on her own now, but not on school mornings. I think if she could wake up on her own and then have a good 2 hours before school she could manage, but she just can't seem to handle a morning routine. She also has (for now) eliminated the bathroom saga - we never had a handwashing problem, it was more hand " drying " . Hang in there, don't give up on the meds or therapy, it can get worse before things get better. Good luck! nna. NY > > My six year old daughter has severe OCD to the point that we have > recently had to take her out of school. We are lucky to have a very > good CBT program at a local university avivalable to us. We spent > several months with a therapist to no avail. She has had OCD since > she was 3 and a half years old. Our life is nuts right now. We have > to physically remove her from the bathroom and I'm sure I don't have > to tell you how distressing that is. Some days we have to physically > dress her to be able to make it to therapy. We have recently started > her on 25mg. of luvox daily. The medication made her too restless to > fall asleep so we have switched to afternoon dosage. Some days are > better that others but we are trying to take one day at a time. It > is so comforting to have found this group. Sometimes as parents, we > feel so all alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Hi, I know how hard it is to physically do everything for your daughter; I was there a few weeks ago with my 7 year old. They are surprisingly strong at that age, too! I take it the OCD was bad at school, too, and that's why you took her out? Have you started the CBT yet? We are doing better with my daughter, she can get dressed on her own now, but not on school mornings. I think if she could wake up on her own and then have a good 2 hours before school she could manage, but she just can't seem to handle a morning routine. She also has (for now) eliminated the bathroom saga - we never had a handwashing problem, it was more hand " drying " . Hang in there, don't give up on the meds or therapy, it can get worse before things get better. Good luck! nna. NY > > My six year old daughter has severe OCD to the point that we have > recently had to take her out of school. We are lucky to have a very > good CBT program at a local university avivalable to us. We spent > several months with a therapist to no avail. She has had OCD since > she was 3 and a half years old. Our life is nuts right now. We have > to physically remove her from the bathroom and I'm sure I don't have > to tell you how distressing that is. Some days we have to physically > dress her to be able to make it to therapy. We have recently started > her on 25mg. of luvox daily. The medication made her too restless to > fall asleep so we have switched to afternoon dosage. Some days are > better that others but we are trying to take one day at a time. It > is so comforting to have found this group. Sometimes as parents, we > feel so all alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Thanks for your support. We took her out of school because she couldn't get out of the bathroom. Also, she couldn;t get dressed in the morning. Just like your daughter the morning routine is unmanageable right now. We have started the CBT and medication and we are seeing progress. My daughter doesn't have a handwashing ritual - it is a wiping ritual. She is now able to get herself out of the bathroom after about 15-20 minutes and a roll of toilet paper. The dressing part is still a challenge. We are trying to take one day at a time and hoping for the best. Kathy GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2004 Report Share Posted October 12, 2004 Your mesaage was so good to hear. It's like reading the words from my own head. When my daughter wears clothes at home during the day or anything to bed at night we get excited. It's inspiring to hear about your niece on the " other side " . It gives me hope that maybe that's were we are headed one day. Some days I wake up and I think I just don;t want to be a parent of an OCD child today, I just don;t have the energy. But then I muddle through and the next day is better. The good news is I can look to my daughter for inspiration. She is so brave and works so hard! One thing we have done that seems to help her is to reward her with really small gifts after a particularly hard therapy session (we're doing 2 hours every day). Nothing big, just little things like a new jump rope, a family pillow fight, a family board game, a new sticker book. It really seems to help and we can see that she appreciates it. I also use rewards to motivate her to " boss back " OCD. For instance, if she gets herself out of the bathroom she gets 10 minutes of play time with Mommy. That sort of thing. It's surprising how motivating that can be. THank God for this group and for people like you! Kathy in GA age 6 - OCD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2004 Report Share Posted October 12, 2004 Your mesaage was so good to hear. It's like reading the words from my own head. When my daughter wears clothes at home during the day or anything to bed at night we get excited. It's inspiring to hear about your niece on the " other side " . It gives me hope that maybe that's were we are headed one day. Some days I wake up and I think I just don;t want to be a parent of an OCD child today, I just don;t have the energy. But then I muddle through and the next day is better. The good news is I can look to my daughter for inspiration. She is so brave and works so hard! One thing we have done that seems to help her is to reward her with really small gifts after a particularly hard therapy session (we're doing 2 hours every day). Nothing big, just little things like a new jump rope, a family pillow fight, a family board game, a new sticker book. It really seems to help and we can see that she appreciates it. I also use rewards to motivate her to " boss back " OCD. For instance, if she gets herself out of the bathroom she gets 10 minutes of play time with Mommy. That sort of thing. It's surprising how motivating that can be. THank God for this group and for people like you! Kathy in GA age 6 - OCD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Hi Kathy, and belated welcome to the group! In answer to your question about SSRI effects, most usually I've read 6 weeks to 2 months to have a good idea of how well (or not) a particular SSRI is going to reduce OCD in a certain person. Some people see results much sooner than that. I can also say that in my child, when we finally did find the right SSRI, the positive effects kept escalating far past the 2 month mark. I do not know how common that is, but it was a very welcome bonus after trialing and rejecting three previous SSRIs! My daughter had an abrupt onset at age four, she is a PANDAS kid--one whose OCD was kicked off nearly overnight following a strep infection. Have you considered PANDAS in your daughter? You saying your daughter's onset was like someone flipped a switch made me think of this possibility. Mine has been continuously medicated since onset, although these days takes only one SSRI (for a few years was on a combo of two), and we were able to drop Risperdal (an atypical antipsychotic prescribed to quiet tics and impulsive behavior) over a year ago. She's 10 now, will be 11 in January. At least as important as the right SSRI was finding a competent therapist to do effective Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention. The two interventions together gave her low and stable symptoms, no more dramatic roller-coaster waxing and waning episodes. I highly recommend this type of therapy for young kids, though I know from experience that it can be tough to say the least to find a good therapist who will accept young children. If your daughter is receiving some other sort of therapy, or if she is supposedly in CBT/ERP but you do not notice a reduction in her symptoms, you may want to continue the search to find someone effective. Anyway, please know that many of us have been where you and your family are right now in taming this OCD monster. I know things can seem overwhelming and bleak in the beginning, and waiting around for an SSRI to kick in and provide relief for your child is excruciating, but you and she can look forward to much improvement in the next several months. Take care, again welcome, Kathy R. in Indiana ----- Original Message ----- > Yes, this is really the most severe her OCD has ever been. Like I > said she has had it since she was 3 and a half but not nearly to this > extent. It was as if one day a switch was flipped. > > My daughter does miss school. She has always done well in school and > enjoyed it a lot. I think she really looks forward to getting back, > or at least she says she does. > > Luvox is the first med we've tried. Not sure yet how it is working. > She's only been taking it for 9 days. I;ve heard so many different > verions of when we should see the effects? We have noticed that it > makes her restless, so we had to switch her to an early afternoon > dose instead of at night. > > Thanks so much for you support. > > Kathy in GA > 6 yrs - OCD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Hi Kathy, I should have mentioned in my first post that my daughter had these very same issues. Instead of taking her out of school we just got up very early to accommodate the rituals, then were able to sleep later and later as they resolved with SSRI and later, ERP. These are common ones in the little kids with OCD. Does your daughter wipe to feel clean, or does she obsess that more urine is there and needs to come out? My daughter's dressing problems were solved with ERP--slowly acclimating to each problematic piece of clothing by wearing it first one minute, then two and so on until the bad feelings subsided. Others have had luck in addressing this problem through Occupational Therapy. You might approach her school, she may qualify for this type of therapy through them since her inability to get dressed is interfering with her ability to attend school. Good luck, it sounds like your daughter is on her way. Kathy R. in Indiana ----- Original Message ----- > Thanks for your support. We took her out of school because she > couldn't get out of the bathroom. Also, she couldn;t get dressed in > the morning. Just like your daughter the morning routine is > unmanageable right now. We have started the CBT and medication and > we are seeing progress. My daughter doesn't have a handwashing > ritual - it is a wiping ritual. She is now able to get herself out > of the bathroom after about 15-20 minutes and a roll of toilet > paper. The dressing part is still a challenge. We are trying to > take one day at a time and hoping for the best. > > Kathy > GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 I read the teenager book " Kissing Doorknobs " a couple weeks ago and loved it - this weekend I read " Second Star to the Right " and liked it, too though it is about anorexia, not ocd. I read " Not as Crazy as I Look " and though I liked it, I'm not likely to recommend it - It's about an older teenage boy with ocd - It's hard for me to relate to him since my son is 13. . . The characters of the other two books are younger....early teens. > > Hi, > Im new to the group. I have been reading over comments and I cant > believe how alike most of us are! I have a thirteen yr old daughter > with ocd-anxiety-depression...diagnosed about 16 months ago. She is > on meds and has put on alot of weight the past 6 months. Probably > from the meds and plus she is at that age. Anyway she is very upset > about it so her and I together are working out and watching what we > eat. We were talking about what foods we " have to have " and she > just said to me the other night that she craves carbs. I couldnt > believe that when I read on the forum from one of the moms about how > OCD kids crave carbs....had my daughter read it and it made her feel > better. > Everything that I have been reading we have been through....I would > like names of books if anyone has any. My daughter loves to read and > knowing she is not alone helps. Latley she has be up and down. I > have spoken to Diamond and he feels her meds need adjusting. > Has anyone checked out the kids support group? > Thank you > Shirley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Hi Shirley, Welcome to the list. I know that you'll find lots of support here. I also have a 13 yr. old daughter. I am the moderator for the OCDKids group. It was originally set up for kids 12 and under but we do have a few 13 yr. olds as well. The kids list tends to be fairly quiet. Usually if someone does post a message it will get a few responses and then be quiet again for a while. For safety reasons, messages are reviewed before they are forwarded to the kids. Please feel free to contact me if you have particular questions. I understand there is also a teen list but I don't know much about that one. Kathy new to group Hi, Im new to the group. I have been reading over comments and I cant believe how alike most of us are! I have a thirteen yr old daughter with ocd-anxiety-depression...diagnosed about 16 months ago. She is on meds and has put on alot of weight the past 6 months. Probably from the meds and plus she is at that age. Anyway she is very upset about it so her and I together are working out and watching what we eat. We were talking about what foods we " have to have " and she just said to me the other night that she craves carbs. I couldnt believe that when I read on the forum from one of the moms about how OCD kids crave carbs....had my daughter read it and it made her feel better. Everything that I have been reading we have been through....I would like names of books if anyone has any. My daughter loves to read and knowing she is not alone helps. Latley she has be up and down. I have spoken to Diamond and he feels her meds need adjusting. Has anyone checked out the kids support group? Thank you Shirley Our list archives, bookmarks, files, and chat feature may be accessed at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// . Our list advisors are Gail B. , Ed.D., Tamar Chansky, Ph.D.( http://www.worrywisekids.org ), Dan Geller, M.D.,Aureen Pinto Wagner, Ph.D., ( http://www.lighthouse-press.com ). Our list moderators are Birkhan, Castle, Fowler, Kathy Hammes, Joye, Kathy Mac, Gail Pesses, and Kathy . Subscription issues or suggestions may be addressed to Louis Harkins, list owner, at louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Hi Shirley. Who's Diamond? Mo new to group I have spoken to Diamond and he feels her meds need adjusting. Has anyone checked out the kids support group? Thank you Shirley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Hi Shirley. Who's Diamond? Mo new to group I have spoken to Diamond and he feels her meds need adjusting. Has anyone checked out the kids support group? Thank you Shirley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 ---Maureen, Diamond is an illustionist who was on the Jane ey show that was about OCD. He has written books and launced the OCD/Amxiety Awareness foundation. He is full of info and willing to help anyone. His web site is www.attackanxiety.com In , " Maureen s " <maureenpeters@r...> wrote: > Hi Shirley. Who's Diamond? > > Mo > new to group > > I have spoken to Diamond and he feels her meds need adjusting. > Has anyone checked out the kids support group? > Thank you > Shirley > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Thanks. Now I remember him from the show. Mo Re: new to group ---Maureen, Diamond is an illustionist who was on the Jane ey show that was about OCD. He has written books and launced the OCD/Amxiety Awareness foundation. He is full of info and willing to help anyone. His web site is www.attackanxiety.com In , " Maureen s " <maureenpeters@r...> wrote: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Thanks. Now I remember him from the show. Mo Re: new to group ---Maureen, Diamond is an illustionist who was on the Jane ey show that was about OCD. He has written books and launced the OCD/Amxiety Awareness foundation. He is full of info and willing to help anyone. His web site is www.attackanxiety.com In , " Maureen s " <maureenpeters@r...> wrote: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Thanks. Now I remember him from the show. Mo Re: new to group ---Maureen, Diamond is an illustionist who was on the Jane ey show that was about OCD. He has written books and launced the OCD/Amxiety Awareness foundation. He is full of info and willing to help anyone. His web site is www.attackanxiety.com In , " Maureen s " <maureenpeters@r...> wrote: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Hi welcome! Is Risperdal the only medication he's taking? I know others have said it's one that puts on a lot of weight on most people. It seems I've read that there might be some medication to add to that to counter the weight gain(?), if the Risperdal is doing fine otherwise and you don't want to change. I have a son (16) who OCD seemed to strike overnight back when he began 6th grade. But, like you, I saw other OCD behaviors at a younger age. They just weren't really a problem for us. Suddenly in 6th he began getting 24/7 compulsions, etc. Tough year for us all but we survived!! He's much better now, OCD is there but manageable and not interfering with the entire family so much. Does your son understand about OCD? I assume so since he's seeing someone. When you mention behavior, I guess you're talking about outbursts due to his OCD? could have some huge crying meltdowns over things. Mostly when his compulsions/rituals were lasting WAY too long because he couldn't get them " right " or whatever. He managed to hold things together at school or out in the community pretty well. " Home " was where it all came out though. However, if someone was over visiting, he managed to do well too. When they left, his OCD seemed worse sometimes from holding back. Well, got to get back to work. This support group is a tremendous help and source of information, especially when you're in the midst of dealing with OCD! single mom, 3 sons , 16, with OCD, dysgraphia and Aspergers > > Hello Everyone, > I'm new to this group, just joined today. I have an eight year old > son with OCD. It has been a tough couple of years. His OCD didn't > come out completely until my husband and I split up a little over two > years ago. When I first noticed that my son had a touch of OCD, he > was about 4 or 5. He started with hoarding. My father in law used > to call him " pockets " because he always had his pockets stuffed with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Hi welcome! Is Risperdal the only medication he's taking? I know others have said it's one that puts on a lot of weight on most people. It seems I've read that there might be some medication to add to that to counter the weight gain(?), if the Risperdal is doing fine otherwise and you don't want to change. I have a son (16) who OCD seemed to strike overnight back when he began 6th grade. But, like you, I saw other OCD behaviors at a younger age. They just weren't really a problem for us. Suddenly in 6th he began getting 24/7 compulsions, etc. Tough year for us all but we survived!! He's much better now, OCD is there but manageable and not interfering with the entire family so much. Does your son understand about OCD? I assume so since he's seeing someone. When you mention behavior, I guess you're talking about outbursts due to his OCD? could have some huge crying meltdowns over things. Mostly when his compulsions/rituals were lasting WAY too long because he couldn't get them " right " or whatever. He managed to hold things together at school or out in the community pretty well. " Home " was where it all came out though. However, if someone was over visiting, he managed to do well too. When they left, his OCD seemed worse sometimes from holding back. Well, got to get back to work. This support group is a tremendous help and source of information, especially when you're in the midst of dealing with OCD! single mom, 3 sons , 16, with OCD, dysgraphia and Aspergers > > Hello Everyone, > I'm new to this group, just joined today. I have an eight year old > son with OCD. It has been a tough couple of years. His OCD didn't > come out completely until my husband and I split up a little over two > years ago. When I first noticed that my son had a touch of OCD, he > was about 4 or 5. He started with hoarding. My father in law used > to call him " pockets " because he always had his pockets stuffed with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Thank you for your reply. I have ordered some books on the OCD for kids so I am waiting for them. It just seems that after being diagnosed with OCD for almost two years now, that everyday there is a new OCD thing popping up. It can be so overwhelming. It has really helped reading all these posts from other parents though. I feel a little better about the Risperdal now, thanks. Deana > Hi, Deana and welcome to the group. This is actually a response to several > of your posts. Defiant behavior does not necessarily mean ODD--the two > disorders (OCD and ODD) are different. Kids who are just starting treatment > frequently have " rages " which are emotional temper tantrums caused by brain overload. > These should settle down once he responds to treatment. I agree with Kathy, > who posted about your son being on Risperdal and not an SSRI. Risperdal is an > antipsychotic used to stabilize the mood or to boost an SSRI. My youngest > daughter, , takes it along with Luvox. My other daughter, Hannah, takes > Abilify for the same reason. The Abilify is suppose to have a lower likely to > cause weight gain. Is there a reason your doctor has not put him on an SSRI? > As far as cause and blame: I think of OCD as a scratch and sniff-- the smell is > there and when something scratches it, it really starts to stink. I think a > person is born with it (you saw signs of it when your son was four) and > sometimes traumatic events trigger it. For my kids (I have two with OCD) it is > physical trauma (Hannah had a ruptured appendix and broke her leg and then > her wrist.) As far as talking to your son about OCD--I wouldn't hold back. I > have found that if my kids don't have a particular compulsion or obsession, > telling them about someone else's does not encourage them to do those things. > It does make them realize how crazy the OCD can be and it makes them more > willing to talk about their own OCD. It has opened many conversations for me to > tell either of them something I have read. (Oh, by the way--I heard about a new > OCD thing...) Both of my kids have completely different OCD. is all > about thoughts and worries and verbal listing while Hannah is really concerned > about contamination, evenness, religous issues, and a whole slew of other > things. They don't pass different things on to each other at all. I have OCD > also and tends to be more like I am. Hannah is another story and I have to > really work at understanding her. You have found a great site here. Kelley > in NV > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Thank you for your reply. I have ordered some books on the OCD for kids so I am waiting for them. It just seems that after being diagnosed with OCD for almost two years now, that everyday there is a new OCD thing popping up. It can be so overwhelming. It has really helped reading all these posts from other parents though. I feel a little better about the Risperdal now, thanks. Deana > Hi, Deana and welcome to the group. This is actually a response to several > of your posts. Defiant behavior does not necessarily mean ODD--the two > disorders (OCD and ODD) are different. Kids who are just starting treatment > frequently have " rages " which are emotional temper tantrums caused by brain overload. > These should settle down once he responds to treatment. I agree with Kathy, > who posted about your son being on Risperdal and not an SSRI. Risperdal is an > antipsychotic used to stabilize the mood or to boost an SSRI. My youngest > daughter, , takes it along with Luvox. My other daughter, Hannah, takes > Abilify for the same reason. The Abilify is suppose to have a lower likely to > cause weight gain. Is there a reason your doctor has not put him on an SSRI? > As far as cause and blame: I think of OCD as a scratch and sniff-- the smell is > there and when something scratches it, it really starts to stink. I think a > person is born with it (you saw signs of it when your son was four) and > sometimes traumatic events trigger it. For my kids (I have two with OCD) it is > physical trauma (Hannah had a ruptured appendix and broke her leg and then > her wrist.) As far as talking to your son about OCD--I wouldn't hold back. I > have found that if my kids don't have a particular compulsion or obsession, > telling them about someone else's does not encourage them to do those things. > It does make them realize how crazy the OCD can be and it makes them more > willing to talk about their own OCD. It has opened many conversations for me to > tell either of them something I have read. (Oh, by the way--I heard about a new > OCD thing...) Both of my kids have completely different OCD. is all > about thoughts and worries and verbal listing while Hannah is really concerned > about contamination, evenness, religous issues, and a whole slew of other > things. They don't pass different things on to each other at all. I have OCD > also and tends to be more like I am. Hannah is another story and I have to > really work at understanding her. You have found a great site here. Kelley > in NV > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2005 Report Share Posted February 8, 2005 > But now the doctor isn't sure she has OCD because she can't > determine the reason my daughter believes she does what she does. > The doctor says usually if the child obsesses on something there is > a reason they believe they have to do something or something bad > will happen. My daughter hasn't been able to verbalize what the bad > thing that she believes will happen is. > > My daughter also has been very hyper so we just took her off the > Prozac. Now the " bully " seems to be bothering her again full > force. She feels she can't make a decision about anything as " it > might be a lie "  This includes telling us she loves us because it > might be a lie. > > Sorry to make this so long but I am hoping someone out there has > experienced some of the same issues. We don't know if we are > dealing with OCD or Oppositional Defiance Disorder (everything is a > struggle) or a little of both. > > I don't have a lot of time to right, but I feel compelled to answer this. You are writing about my daughter and how she was at 8. Not the same exact things, but the overall profile. We never identified it as OCD until she was 11. She has never had specific " fears " that go with the " just right " OCD. Even, for the most part, when it has involved germs, she hasn't really expressed a fear of getting sick. But....the hours of her crying hysterically because she couldn't get the bows on her shoes even, or her sheets were crooked. The running to the bathroom every 5 minutes because she had to pee, but nothing would come out, and she might have to pee. Especially if the prozac was helping, that would be a clue. My daughter was able to dress for the first time without falling apart when she started on zoloft. (We've since dropped it, but that's another story). Also, we were told it was ODD (oppositional ); but, outside of the obsessive episodes, she's a normal cooperative kid. Bunk!! As we've gotten the OCD in line, the oppositional behavior has gradually reduced. We used Tamar Chansky's book, " Freeing your Child from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder " to treat our son (who had more classic OCD and is part of why we finally realized what it was with my daughter), fairly effectively before we could find a good therapist. I so wish that someone had let me know what atypical OCD could look like in girls. It would have made a huge difference in our lives and avoided several years of pure misery!! Jeanne jwestpha@... NBCT - Exceptional Needs (2000) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2005 Report Share Posted February 8, 2005 Hi , welcome to the group...comments interspersed-- > My daughter just turned 8. She has always been a handfull. A few > years ago we really started having problems with compulsive issues. > We went to a therapist who basically made it seem like all of our > issues were because I am a working parent and my husband and I > didn't know how to properly discipline. *****This is a common, wrong, old-school idea. OCD is a neurochemical brain disorder. OCD is not caused by poor parenting and can not be cured by expert parenting. > Many of her issues revolved > around the bathroom. She refused to learn how to wipe herself when > she had a bm so she refused to go away from home. She would end up > so constipated she would make herself physically ill. Other times > she would go to the bathroom every 5 minutes to pee. She also had a > fear of getting germs or boogers on things like tables and chairs at > school. She was also always afraid of breaking or damaging things. *****<I'm a mom of an OCD child, not a mh professional or doctor.> These things you mention are very common in OCD: bathroom and elimination obsessions and compulsions, contamination worries, etc. The peeing symptom specifically is mentioned in the literature as associated with PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus)--infection-caused OCD. My child is a PANDAS child, now 11, her disorder appeared overnight when she was 4 years, 11 months old. You can check the files section or Google PANDAS to learn more about this. > Things seemed to get better for awhile. Then it got bad again. *****OCD is a waxing and waning disorder. Some of us think we've noticed correlations to things such as worsenings in spring due to allergies, etc. Waxing periods sometimes come on with extra stress (moving, new school, etc.) or sometimes illness. > She > was having terrible tantrums. She also said she wished she was > dead. *****Children with untreated OCD may tantrum this way when their rituals (compulsions) are interrupted or interfered with. OCDers do compulsions in order to reduce their anxiety. When they are prevented for whatever reason, the anxiety skyrockets causing perhaps anger, tears, etc. > She also could not make a decision as she was afraid whatever > she said was a lie. *****OCD is nicknamed " the doubting disorder " due to this ongoing sense of being unable to feel sure about things, which causes much distress and frustration. > So, we finally fought with insurance enough to > go to a child physchiatrist. At first she diagnosed my daughter > with OCD. We even went on Prosac but stayed at a very low dose. *****SSRIs need to be dosed higher than for depression to treat OCD, even in children. > But now the doctor isn't sure she has OCD because she can't > determine the reason my daughter believes she does what she does. > The doctor says usually if the child obsesses on something there is > a reason they believe they have to do something or something bad > will happen. My daughter hasn't been able to verbalize what the bad > thing that she believes will happen is. *****The doctor is wrong. For one thing, your daughter may well know what the bad thing is but won't discuss it because of the content. My child's obsessions (bad things) had to do with wanting to kill me, cut out her eyes, and sexual/elimination themes. Also a lot of OCD is " just right, just so " without a specific bad thing to avoid, just that it is very uncomfortable to not do things OCD's way. OCD is ego-dystonic, meaning even your child knows these " beliefs " are not *her* beliefs and don't make any sense. > My daughter also has been very hyper so we just took her off the > Prozac. *****Please don't rule out another SSRI for her based on this experience. Prozac wasn't the one for my child either, it caused hyper and a host of other side effects for her. Prozac is a great med for most, but one of the pains of treating OCD with SSRIs is the process of trial and error to find a good fit for a particular child. > Now the " bully " seems to be bothering her again full > force. She feels she can't make a decision about anything as " it > might be a lie " This includes telling us she loves us because it > might be a lie. *****Common common common in OCD, as you'll discover if you read through the archives. It seems plain to me that your child is suffering from OCD. > Sorry to make this so long but I am hoping someone out there has > experienced some of the same issues. We don't know if we are > dealing with OCD or Oppositional Defiance Disorder (everything is a > struggle) or a little of both. *****Many times other suspected disorders dissolve once anxiety and OCD are adequately treated. The first-line treatment for children with OCD is a certain type of behavior therapy called Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention (CBT/ERP). It can be hard to find an expert practitioner depending on where you live, but this is the only type of therapy that actually reduces and eliminates OCD obsessions and compulsions. Dr. Pinto-Wagner adviser to this list suggests searching for one associated with a med center or teaching hospital. Some kids also need medication, SSRIs. A poor experience with one does not mean that none will work well for your daughter. You've had some less-than-helpful professional help which is unfortunately, still par for the course in diagnosing and treating children's anxiety disorders far too often. We frequently have to educate ourselves about this disorder and its treatment first before we have the understanding to weed out the poor doctors and therapists from the good ones, who will help without wasting massive amounts of time, hope and/or money :-( My daughter is doing very well, long stabilized on an effective SSRI and the veteran of effective CBT/ERP. Her OCD, termed severe at onset, isn't much more than a nuisance in her life and she is a happy, healthy fifth-grader. There is every reason to believe your child will be too with the proper diagnosis and treatment. OCD is a very treatable disorder. Again welcome, post again, Kathy R. in Indiana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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