Originally Posted by chloeandj (Post 2541142)

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I hope her appt goes very well.

My 7 year old started having some tendencies a year ago. His isn't about handwashing though. He needs certain things to be just perfect. He gets real bad during stressful times, like starting 1st grade and stressful times during the year, then 2nd grade started and it was real bad for about 2 weeks. Where he wasn't going to sleep until very late because something was just not right in his bed. Or one of his stuffed animals ear wouldn't stay just as he put it. He has other things that keep him from getting certain things done quickly like brushing his teeth. The knob on the bathroom sink wiggles when you turn it off, so it has to be in just a certain position before he'll stop touching it... When i tell him to hurry up from brushing his teeth as we'll be late for school, he gets overly upset, so i try to be very careful about what I say.



Fortunately he is at an age where we can talk about it and rationalize things, and try to find solutions. He was calling it his "bad habit", i told him he has no bad habits. He just needs to use his brain to help him stop. That he can be in control of his body and what he does. I see him trying and he's always very proud when he has stopped himself. He also erases so much with his homework to get each letter just so. Last year, his teacher suggested we let him erase each thing only once then he has to move on to the next. This works out most of the time but occasionally he erases so much he puts tears in his paper and gets upset.

The good thing is that i see him improving all the time, i feel like most of his little quirks are just a phase at this point and I try to give him lots of opportunity to be in control of other things and decisions in his life so he's not so involved in controlling all these other little things.

Originally Posted by DENISE517 (Post 2542596)

We have an apt for Wed. of next week. She did better today. Didn't even have any symptoms til around lunch time. I swear I just don't understand how it comes and goes, then comes on strong. (Maybe I'll find out Wed) Although she did better she was extremely HYPER today. Almost like she need to get it out so instead of washing, etc. she was a mile a minutes. Maybe it all goes hand in hand.

When ever she touches her nose, she always needs to wash her hands, and we've been explaining to her that its ok to touch your nose, your hand is not dirty and full of germs, but if you feel the need to wash then go ahead. Well she was sooooooooo proud of herself tonight. She marched down stair to tell me that she had touched her nose and didn't feel the need to wash. Then she said Look what else I can do and not be scared ..........The finger went way up in the nose, came out and in her mouth. lol I about died laughing. I was like no no lets not go that far. We don't do that. lol I'd say now that's progress. hahahahaha

Lexi is my child who is always funny and makes us laugh with the things she comes up with. I'll share one more funny story about her. We were driving in the car the other day and lauryn was talking to me about her boy troubles. lauryn said uggg I just need to meet my prince charming. And Lexi pipped in from the back seat in a loud voice and said...."Lauryn prince charming is not real he is fake and beside, he has a girlfriend" We died with laughter and said back. Well who's his girlfriend. She said...Cinderella duh!
hahahahaha

Originally Posted by DENISE517 (Post 2538232)

Well in the mist of everything else Lexi has really been going through a rough week. I truely think she is OCD.

She has a dr. apt. on Thurs. For the last year we've been dealing with the whole hand washing/ germs/ asking the same questions over and over, etc. Well it got better and thought maybe just a phase. (That is what the Dr.s said at that time for me not to worry, etc) Well this last week it has been insane!!!! She is at the point in Sunday school class that she was interputing the class due to her excessive hand washing and even cried when she touched a boy and couldn't wash her hands after that.

I'm really worried about her. She is soooo stress. There have been a few ladybugs in the house (happens every spring it seem) and she is soooo afraid of them. There was one on the floor and she made me pick it up, wash the floor and still everytime she walked over that spot had to wash her feet. She's now scared to touch some people. She'll say I touched (so in so) Mommy, Do I need to wash my hands. etc.

I've tried to reassure her that germs will not harm her, its ok and nothing is going to happen to her. We've prayed and prayed with her that Jesus would take her fears away, etc. (Which afterwards she told us ..."Jesus has long hair, he needs a hair cut" lol) I told her the ladybugs were good luck, etc. I've tried to think of every trick in the book. Now it is interferring with her sleep. She wakes up, finds a fuzzy on her blanket and won't go back to sleep. She puts her finger near her ear and says...I think it has ear wax on it and has to wash her hands. Its just crazy...There are a million more things that she has been doing.

She was even walking around the house today saying to herself.."its ok Lexi, Mommy said germs wont hurt you." What is up with that. I'm so scared for her and Just want her to feel better.

Has anyone had any experience with this. I know there are meds for this kind of stuff but she is only 4. I meet with the dr. again on thurs. so hopefully will get more insite. I don't want to hear its a phase thing again. This child is really bothered. I tried to think of anything that could have trigger this and can't think of nothing.

Please keep her in your prayers that God will bring peace over her!!!

Originally Posted by Rosiegirl (Post 2574467)

I would write down the different examples of things she 'dwells' on and give that to your doctor. I am not surprised they didn't do much the first appointment, they need to get your little one used to that office and the people if she is going to open up with them, she will need to trust them a bit first. I used to have to do everything on an even number when I was a kid for just a little while, not really a long time at all, I actually forgot about that until I read your post here. I am sure everything will be fine after you get some councelling for her, she just needs to re-direct her thoughts to some other things and realize that what she thinks about now can be overlooked. I really feel for her and your family too, she sounds so cute and adorable, and there is nothing like having to worry about your children. Be careful how you tell her to think until the experts get a chance to help you word things, it sounds like she is at a very sensitive age. I think everything you've tried is amazing and supportive of her, she trusts you and that is amazing, she sounds very special. Lexi and your family will be in our prayes tonight, please keep us posted.

Just wondering if she has any activities she likes to participate in that would help to wear her out, maybe dance classes, soccer, etc? It also sounds like she has a lot of energy.

Originally Posted by DanicaBraggs (Post 2574575)

Hello I to have severe OCD,I was always a VERY clean child and my Mom always bragged about it.I always had to have things a certain way ect ect...Anyway my life wasn'y exactly easy I was always worried and stressed over everything.I knew I had problems and so did my family but it wasn't until I was in my mid-twenties that I was diagnosed.I did well with therapy and had bad bouts of it from time to time but there were a lot of normal times inbetween.Anyway once I started a family it came back pretty hard,bfore it was managable you know my cans in the cabinet a certain way,my house PERFECT my clothes and my hair just right but once the kids came it was pretty hard for me.Kids are busy and make messes and they can care less about your problem :-) I went back to see a Doctor and am now doing monthly sesions.OCD is managable you just have to find out what triggers the sever outbreaks.Then you find something to get your mind off of it.For instance my kids would make meses and when I started to lose it because I just couldn't keep up quick enough on the cleaning I would loe it.Cry,scream,yell,anyway I was shown techniques scream in a pillow,slam my hands on the wooden floor.All this released the tension that was building up in me because I had no control over the situation.This is a BIG thing with someone who has OCD having control.Research it,read stories of people so many kinds of OCDs.Your daughter will be fine and she has amazing parents.Once she finds techniques that work and learn to manage the OCD she will be fine.Managing is the big thing and until your little girl understands this...well it will be hard for everyone around her.Keep in mind she might think she is fine and sees nothing wrong with what she is doing,it is you that has the problem.Trut me I thought the same thing,matter-of-fact I still think I am the normal one and everyone else is wierd because they don't do what I do.Good luck!