Is this OCD or normal childhood behavior?

[Tattoomom]

My 8 year old ds has tics and major anxiety. He goes through phases where he gets fixated on certain topics and talks about them 24/7. For instance, he was obsessed with Spiderman for years, then it moved to Narnia, now it's back to Spiderman. He walks around "shooting webs" and talking about Spiderman and his villains. We listen the first few times and then politely ask him to change the subject. He does at that moment but he always comes back to it. Now it's Santa, a million questions about Santa! It's like he can't stop thinking about it!

 

He has the gift of gab from me and his father and he's a very outspoken guy, so it's hard to tell if this is just his personality or a problem?!

[thereishope]

That's a hard one. My 6 year old talks about the shows he likes constantly but I can see that it is acceptable for him. Does he expect you to re-enact shows with him or anything and if you do it the slightest wrong, he flips out? Since you said when you ask him to change subject, he does.... that a very good sign. Do you have to ask him 100 times before doing so?

 

Does he like/talk about ONLY Spiderman? Or does he have a few favorites but Spidey is the favorite of them all?

 

I also have an 8 year old. He has his favorites too but he doesn't talk about them constantly. Only every so often if there is a prompting for it.

 

Let me think on this one some more.

[MomWithOCDSon]

My 8 year old ds has tics and major anxiety. He goes through phases where he gets fixated on certain topics and talks about them 24/7. For instance, he was obsessed with Spiderman for years, then it moved to Narnia, now it's back to Spiderman. He walks around "shooting webs" and talking about Spiderman and his villains. We listen the first few times and then politely ask him to change the subject. He does at that moment but he always comes back to it. Now it's Santa, a million questions about Santa! It's like he can't stop thinking about it!

 

He has the gift of gab from me and his father and he's a very outspoken guy, so it's hard to tell if this is just his personality or a problem?!

 

Honestly, I'm no doctor, but it sounds a little more like an autism-spectrum issue like ADHD or Asberger's than it does OCD. What's not always commonly known about ADHD is that kids with this disorder can be extraordinarily focused on something of their choosing, for extended periods of time, and talk about nothing else, non-stop. I'm finishing up a really interesting book on ADHD written by a high school boy (can't remember his name at this minute) called "ADHD & ME." Our son had always been identified as having OCD, and it took the fresh eyes of a new therapist to suggest that maybe there was some ADHD in there, as well. Reading this book, I'm certain of it! Just a thought!

[peagreen]

I think if it's standing out to you, it probably isn't quite typical. My son does exactly the same thing, and it goes well beyond just having passion for a topic. Right now, his obsession is Pokemon, but it has changed multiple times over the years. We're doing social skills classes to help my son understand how to be sensitive to the wishes of others in social situations. I don't want him to lose friends over this.

 

Good luck!

 

P.

[Tattoomom]

Honestly, I'm no doctor, but it sounds a little more like an autism-spectrum issue like ADHD or Asberger's than it does OCD.

 

Well, he may have a touch of ADHD, it does run in the family, but it's definitely NOT Asperger's or Autism! I know that for a fact! Never ever has he shown any symptoms of either disorder.

[Tattoomom]

Does he expect you to re-enact shows with him or anything and if you do it the slightest wrong, he flips out? Since you said when you ask him to change subject, he does.... that a very good sign. Do you have to ask him 100 times before doing so?

 

Does he like/talk about ONLY Spiderman? Or does he have a few favorites but Spidey is the favorite of them all?

 

 

No, he never asks me to re-enact anything and I normally only have to ask him once or twice to drop the topic and he does but it always re-surfaces. Spidey is definitely a favorite. Like right now, he's wanting a certain green goblin toy for Xmas and he gets online and searches for the toy and who has it for sale and how much it costs! He just seems to think about it constantly.

[MomWithOCDSon]

Honestly, I'm no doctor, but it sounds a little more like an autism-spectrum issue like ADHD or Asberger's than it does OCD.

 

Well, he may have a touch of ADHD, it does run in the family, but it's definitely NOT Asperger's or Autism! I know that for a fact! Never ever has he shown any symptoms of either disorder.

 

No, no, I didn't intend that at all . . . that he may have autism. Only that ADD, ADHD and Asberger's are all considered "autism-spectrum disorders;" way out on the far right end of the spectrum, you have the Big A - Autism. And then at various points along the spectrum, farther and farther to the left (aka, at least in terms of the U.S. public education system, "normal"), you'll find diagnoses like Asberger, ADD and ADHD.

 

There's a GREAT book out there for parents of kids who have some of these tendencies, clinically diagnosed or not. It really explains some of the learning style differences, behavioral differences and, rather than labeling and going along with the idea that kids should be medicated for them, lays out ways in which their particular processing can be accessed to their maximum advantage. It's called "Right Brained Children in a Left Brained World" by Jeffrey Freed, and it is excellent!

[thereishope]

He sounds like my husband who is going on ebay every night in search for some Ben 10 toy my son wants at a good price. My husband is obsessing about it and I finally got my husband to admit it was OCD. But he can leave the situation and go with his life. It doesn't fully encompass it.

 

I wonder if it's the green goblin my son is getting for Christmas:) As for the reference to autism and Asperger's, my son who at the age of 5 1/2 never showed signs of Asperger's. However, when we went to psychiatrist, she had to screen him for it because so many disorders were present at once. There are actually a lot of similarities between autism and PANDAS and a good number of parents in this forum have been told that they should have children screened. In fact, it was just PANDAS causing those autism like symtpoms to surface. So, even if he for sure did not fit into the autism spectrum some similar quailities might have surfaced as a result of PANDAS. It doesn't mean he actually has autsim or Asperger's.

 

Kids can have healthy obsessions. It's a hard things to distinguish when that child has PANDAS/OCD qualities as well. I think if he can change the subject upon request with not having to add "one more thing" I would just keep a close eye on it and monitor it.

 

Also, ADHD and OCD often go along together and ADD and ADHD is a symptom that surfaces with PANDAS for some kids.

[Tattoomom]

He sounds like my husband who is going on ebay every night in search for some Ben 10 toy my son wants at a good price. My husband is obsessing about it and I finally got my husband to admit it was OCD. But he can leave the situation and go with his life. It doesn't fully encompass it.

 

I wonder if it's the green goblin my son is getting for Christmas:) As for the reference to autism and Asperger's, my son who at the age of 5 1/2 never showed signs of Asperger's. However, when we went to psychiatrist, she had to screen him for it because so many disorders were present at once. There are actually a lot of similarities between autism and PANDAS and a good number of parents in this forum have been told that they should have children screened. In fact, it was just PANDAS causing those autism like symtpoms to surface. So, even if he for sure did not fit into the autism spectrum some similar quailities might have surfaced as a result of PANDAS. It doesn't mean he actually has autsim or Asperger's.

 

Kids can have healthy obsessions. It's a hard things to distinguish when that child has PANDAS/OCD qualities as well. I think if he can change the subject upon request with not having to add "one more thing" I would just keep a close eye on it and monitor it.

 

Also, ADHD and OCD often go along together and ADD and ADHD is a symptom that surfaces with PANDAS for some kids.

 

Vickie! LOL!! Your husband would fit in around here! And sounds like your son's would play wonderfully

 

We just took ds to a psychiatrist last week and he was evaluated. The psy. definitely picked up on his anxiety and prescribed a low dose of Zoloft. We started it just to see if it helps. Anxiety runs in our blood.

 

Our son is very, very mature for his age, in looks and behavior. He's only 8 but you can carry on a conversation with him like an adult. He's very intelligent. Just quirky!

[ajcire]

I see a lot of that around here and I have described my ds the same way... as very intelligent, just quirky.. always was more mature for his age even as a baby people would comment on it (although while he is more mature in some ways and you find yourself having grown up conversations with him, he can be immature in others).

 

 

 

Our son is very, very mature for his age, in looks and behavior. He's only 8 but you can carry on a conversation with him like an adult. He's very intelligent. Just quirky!

[Megs_Mom]

My 8 year old ds has tics and major anxiety. He goes through phases where he gets fixated on certain topics and talks about them 24/7. For instance, he was obsessed with Spiderman for years, then it moved to Narnia, now it's back to Spiderman. He walks around "shooting webs" and talking about Spiderman and his villains. We listen the first few times and then politely ask him to change the subject. He does at that moment but he always comes back to it. Now it's Santa, a million questions about Santa! It's like he can't stop thinking about it!

 

He has the gift of gab from me and his father and he's a very outspoken guy, so it's hard to tell if this is just his personality or a problem?!

 

It does sound more like very mild Aspergers than OCD. A lot of brilliant people (we know a brain surgeon - really!) have Aspergers, especially if just mild. Some social behavorial training can help, if that is it. Or maybe he is just a really passionate person! The fact that he can stop talking about it, even for a short time, is good - and a sign that this is not OCD related.

[Chemar]

Tatoomom

 

my son has done this since very young

 

we were told by both his developmental pediatrician as well as his neuro and also a psychiatrist and psychologist that this was part of the OCD that he has comorbid with his Tourette Syndrome so yes, it sounds like OCD to me

 

most kids (and some adults lol ) do get fixated on stuff and take it to extreme--- but what you are describing really reminds me of the OCD I see in both my son (and hubby)

 

Certainly from our experience, not only aspergers kids have this kind of fixation/repetitive behavior. My son has other friends with TS, and they show it too and yes, so do some with ADHD

 

oh boy do I remember the Pokemon days and dreading entering Target with him wanting every pokemon thing in site and then talking about them for the next who knows how long................

[memom]

I think we need to redefine OCD. My daughter has it and I have spent the past year with weekly appointments and reading books on the subject.

 

The O for OCD stands for obsession. It is a repetative, unwanted thought that causes distress. The distress is such that in their mind, something really bad will happen if they don't do something to reverse the thought.

 

The compulsion is the neutralizing behavior such as repeating, washing, retracing, telling etc.

 

Many adults become compulsive about things, but it is not to be confused with OCD because there is no repetative unwanted thought that causes distress.

 

Ellie

[thereishope]

OCD, as defined by the general public, has broadened. It has become a joke for anyone who has a high interest in something or a passion. Just because you like a clean house, doesn't always mean you have OCD. Just because you love Star wars, buy the toys and leave them unopened in boxes, don't let your kids touch them and have insurance on them (my husband) doesn't always mean it is full fledge OCD:)

 

Now, with PANDAS not all kids have obsessions. My son didn't have obsessions for all his problems. He had many rituals and routines that needed to be completed but did not associate it with anything horrible happening if it wasn't done. It's hard to explain. The psychologist said that that can be the case for some with OCD. She also said that the OCD associated with TS may vary than a person who has OCD but not TS.

 

Overall, I think if you try to stop the person from completing the compulsion and that person has high anxiety that takes a long time to go away, it is time to consider OCD. The "average" person should be able to walk away. Maybe the thought lingers but they can move on. With OCD, you cannot walk away and simply move onto the next thing.

[Chemar]

the OCD doesnt always cause distress tho Ellie....it can manifest in so many different ways, especially the tourettic form that accompanies TS.

In fact, it is often defined as a subtype of "classic" OCD, which is more what you are describing

 

My son, now 20, has been dealing with OCD since tiny, and in fact it is far more bothersome to him that his tics, but his obsessions as well as the compulsions arent always ones that negatively impact him, in fact some have just become part of him, as his tics have....some even quite endearing.....but yes, still anxiety for him if they are not fulfilled

 

And yes, he knows all too well about the majority that are negative impacting, and become a very distressing factor.

 

He has had excellent Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tho that has really taught him phenomenal coping skills.