Helping Your Young Child with OCD

Your young son washes his hands excessively, checks locks and light switches, and feels compelled to count things. Or maybe your little daughter has to touch things a certain way, has a rigid nighttime routine, or is excessively afraid of sharp objects. 

 You have a young child with symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and you’re not sure what to do. Perhaps you’ve tried reasoning with them, giving advice or reassurance, or just demanding they stop these irrational rituals. Maybe you don’t understand why your child has to do things a certain way or how to help him or her see a different approach. 

 Dr. Aureen Wagner has a book for you. Up and Down the Worry Hill is a simple storybook for young children that explains what OCD looks like and what the cure is. Her approach translates the gold standard treatment Exposure and Response Prevention to the understanding of a kid.

Your child will learn to see OCD as just a “worry bell” going off in his head and realize the solution is to face it head-on like driving a bike up a hill. With practice, it gets easier and easier, and he’ll be able to enjoy the fun of coasting downhill without a care in the world.