How to Find Counseling for Children With OCD

A child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may struggle with compulsive, ritualistic behaviors such as handwashing, or with obsessive, repeated thoughts that won't go away. When such behaviors begin to interfere with a child's life, it may be time to seek evaluation or treatment from a professional who specializes in OCD. Children and adolescents with OCD are often treated successfully with behavior therapy and medication.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Observe your child's behavior. If he is constantly washing his hands, ordering his possessions or expressing fearfulness about dirt or germs, and if these behaviors are interfering with his daily life, it is time to seek professional help.
2. Talk to your child's pediatrician about your child's obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors. Ask for a recommendation for a counselor or therapist who is experienced in cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of psychological therapy that is often successful in treating OCD.
3. Interview potential therapists over the phone, before making an initial appointment. Find out where each therapist did her training and how much experience she has with treating OCD in children.
4. Ask the therapist how he treats OCD. His response should include exposure and response prevention therapy, a treatment that involves exposing the child to the source of her anxiety and training her not to respond with a compulsive behavior.
5. Inquire about medication and how the therapist feels about treating OCD with drugs.
6. Take your child to the first appointment once you have found a therapist that sounds like the right person for your child. The therapist will probably want to speak with you before beginning to work with your child one-on-one, to find out more about the child's behaviors and struggles. Be as open and detailed as possible, as your input is valuable to the therapist's understanding of your child.
7. Discuss with the therapist ways you can support the cognitive-behavioral therapy work at home. Request titles of books that may help you to better understand OCD and its treatment.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in touch with your child's therapist. If you have questions at any point during treatment, or notice new obsessions or compulsions, let the therapist know about them.
• Follow the therapist's recommendations for supporting your child's therapy at home. If the therapist tells you not to give in to your child's obsessions, as hard as it may be, that's what you must do.
• Inform yourself about OCD as much as possible so that you can understand and support your child's difficulties and treatment.
• If your child's OCD interferes with his schoolwork, ask the therapist about how to present this information to your child's school, or whether that's necessary. It may be possible for the school to develop accommodations for your child so that finishing his work is less of a struggle.
• Popular culture often mocks people with OCD and portrays them in an unflattering light. Be aware that your child's behavior may make him the subject of jokes among his peers. Discuss with his therapist how to help your child deal with any negative remarks.