- One in 100 children suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. The age at which the disorder appears is usually around 10 years old, although children as young as 2 or 3 have demonstrated symptoms.
- OCD is difficult to diagnose and treat in children because children attempt to hide their symptoms. In fact, they usually are not aware that their reactions constitute irrational behavior.
- Notify a medical specialist if children demonstrate these behaviors: fear of harm or danger to oneself or a loved one, perfectionism, persistent fear of illness, constant need for symmetry and order, showing aggressive/sexual thoughts, or having religious fixations.
- Symptoms include: worrying about dirtiness or sinfulness, doing things over and over again for no apparent reason, rough and red hands from excessive hand-washing, creating holes on paper from too much erasing, hoarding or collecting junk, showing inflexibility or throwing tantrums when a ritual is interrupted, or seeking repeated assurances from adults about safety.
- Any of the symptoms above that take more than one hour of the child's day to the point that they disrupt normal behavior can indicate OCD.
