At the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley, we offer cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for children with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Our approach with children is practical, goal-oriented, compassionate, and scientifically-based while focusing on your child’s individual needs. If you think your child may be experiencing obsessive compulsive disorder, you can learn more about the OCD and our treatment approach below.
What is OCD in Children?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by unwanted and intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and feeling compelled to repeatedly perform rituals and routines (compulsions) to try and ease anxiety. If your child has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), he/she might be unable to stop worrying no matter how much they want to.
With OCD, your child may experience upsetting or scary thoughts or images, called obsessions, that are are hard to ignore or dismiss. A child with OCD feels strong urges to do certain things repeatedly — called rituals or compulsions — in order to reduce the scary thoughts, avoid something dreaded from happening, or to make extra sure that things are safe, clean, or right in some way.
Your child may have a difficult time explaining a reason for their rituals and say they do them “just because.” In general, a child with OCD is trying to relieve anxiety by engaging in a ritual. Your child may want to feel absolutely certain that something bad won’t happen or to feel “just right.”
OCD is like an “overactive alarm system.” The rise in anxiety or worry is so strong that a child feels like he or she must perform the task or dwell on the thought, over and over again, to the point where it interferes with everyday life. Most kids with OCD realize that they really don’t have to repeat the behaviors over and over again, but the anxiety can be so great that they feel that repetition is “required” to neutralize the uncomfortable feeling. And often the behavior does decrease the anxiety — but only temporarily. In the long run, the rituals may worsen the severity of OCD and prompt the obsessions to return.
Most children with OCD are diagnosed around age 10, although the disorder can strike children as young as two or three. Boys are more likely to develop OCD before puberty, while girls tend to develop it during adolescence.
Symptoms of OCD in Children
- Intrusive and unwanted thoughts or impulses that are distressing and bothersome to the child.
- Repetitive rituals aimed at reducing or preventing distress.
- Difficulty completing daily routine or problems with school performance and social relationships due to the obsessions and compulsions.
Among children with OCD, the most common obsessions include:
- fear of dirt or germs
- fear of contamination
- a need for symmetry and order
- religious obsessions
- preoccupation with body waste
- lucky and unlucky numbers
- sexual or aggressive thoughts
- fear of illness or harm coming to oneself or relatives
- preoccupation with household items
- intrusive sounds or words
The most common compulsions among children are:
- grooming rituals, including hand washing, showering, and teeth brushing
- repeating rituals, including going in and out of doorways, needing to move through spaces in a special way, or rereading, erasing, and rewriting
- checking rituals to make sure that an appliance is off or a door is locked or repeatedly checking homework
- rituals to undo contact with a “contaminated” person or object
- touching rituals
- rituals to prevent harming self or others
- ordering or arranging objects
- counting rituals
- hoarding and collecting things of no apparent value
- cleaning rituals related to the house or other items
Cognitive Behavioral Model of OCD in Children
According to the CBT model, it is normal for children to experience intrusive thoughts and impulses from time to time. Children with OCD, however, view these experiences as threatening and assign a great deal of importance to these thoughts. For example, a child with OCD may hear about violence on the news and begin to fear that something similar could happen to a family member, causing intrusive thoughts that they can’t get rid of about harm coming to the family member. Because the thoughts seem so real and the child can’t dismiss them, this results in significant distress or anxiety. The child may then attempt to soothe him/herself with a ritual or compulsion that he/she believes will keep the loved one safe, and this temporarily reduces anxiety. Because anxiety is relieved in the short-term, the anxiety cycle continues at the next intrusive thought.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children with OCD
The goal of CBT for OCD is to teach your child that he or she can manage anxiety without compulsions or rituals. Treatment will include education about OCD for you and your child, along with relaxation strategies, and cognitive strategies that will help your child respond differently to intrusive thoughts. Your child will then gradually face his or her fears, practicing their new coping strategies during exposures both in therapy sessions and in the real world. Your child’s therapist will also help you support your child with the new skills they are practicing outside of sessions.
Common Goals of Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Children
- Learn to respond differently to obsessions and intrusive thoughts.
- Reduce time spent on compulsive behaviors.
- Obsessions and compulsions no longer impact daily life.
- Improved coping skills for managing stress, anxiety and uncertainty.
To learn more about OCD in children, click here to watch this video clip about obsessive compulsive disorder.
How to Get Help for Your Child with OCD in San Jose/Saratoga and Sacramento/Roseville
If you believe your child may be experiencing OCD, the first step is to share your concerns. Encourage your child to talk about his or her fears and work to be open-minded. Your child’s obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors may be hard to understand yet are very real to them. Be supportive, encouraging, and remind your child of what he or she does well. After talking with your child, it may be time to get some professional help.
The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley/San Jose specializes in anxiety and OCD therapy and counseling for children. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help your child overcome his/her anxiety-related problems.
Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Child Anxiety and Child OCD near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:
San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Child Anxiety and Child OCD near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:
Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling • El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling • Auburn Therapy Counseling
CONTACT US
Click to send an email