Ph.D. Introduction A child with OCD has an anxiety disorder marked by the presence of obsessions and compulsions severe enough to interfere with the activities of daily life. Obsessions are repeated, unwanted thoughts often related to fears of contamination. Compulsions are repeated, purposeless behaviors. The cause of OCD is believed to be neurological and it runs in families.
Treatment includes a combination of behavior therapy and medication.
He has no other fixed behaviors. Jesse, l0 years old , cleans his teeth so frequently that he uses a box of toothpicks each week and his gums bleed profusely. Each day he uses a half box of Q-tips to clean his ears and a roll of toilet paper when he goes to the toilet. When he does his homework, Jesse can spend an hour on the same page, erasing and rewriting words because he's sure he didn't get them right. If she tries to stop herself from thinking about these words, she becomes very anxious and worries that she'll have a heart attack.