To C - reply from Dr. Chansky

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

This is a question that so many parents have in the back of their minds-- could

something have caused this? While stress and trauma reduce our ability to cope

with life challenges, it is in my

experience very unlikely that the stress would be expressed in this very

particular way--OCD- unless there was a genetic predisposition to OCD. I would

imagine that you have talked with other

parents who have adopted children. It is not unusual at all for children to

exhibit behavior as you describe when they are adjusting-- which can be years.

Sometimes this is a sign of a sensory issue,

but most often it has more to do with the extreme changes in their environment.

It sounds like you have done everything for your daughter-- how fortunate for

her.

All best,

Tamar Chansky

>

> Can trauma from being adopted at 18 months of age have caused the OCD?

>

> I've heard and read that trauma early in life can set the stage for OCD.

>

> My question is this: I adopted my daughter from China when she was 18

> months old. She was extremely traumatized at the time of the adoption, all

> she did was scream and sleep and eat. She was almost catatonic when I

> brought her home. I am single so, unfortuantely, I had to work so she was

> put in a wonderful preschool with her sister (also adopted from China and

> two years older than her.) When I picked her up from school in the

> afternoon, she would be in the same spot as she was when I left her in the

> morning. The teachers were very sweet and tried to get her to lay down for

> a nap, etc. Fortunately, she became comfortable as time went on. I'd say

> it took a couple of months for her to feel comfortable.

>

> Could the trauma of the adoption have caused the OCD?

>

>

> --

> M. , RPR, CLR, FPR, CMRS

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>