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More children suffer from OCD than most people realize. According to the director of the Children's Center for OCD and Anxiety in Philadelphia, more than a million children in the US have OCD. That means, 1 in 100 children in America have OCD. Unlike adults who can recognize they have OCD, children do not understand that they have OCD. Instead, children may view their repetitive thoughts or actions as shameful and feel like they are going crazy. This makes many children too embarrassed to tell an adult of their problems. The average age that OCD manifests is 10.2 OCD seems to appear equally in boys and girls. One part of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a tendency to obsess. Obsessions are persistent or repetitive thoughts, images, ideas, or impulses that rise repeatedly into a person's consciousness. The child cannot shake the thoughts, which become increasingly realistic to him. The unwanted thoughts can be frightening and if unresolved, they can leave your child anxious and distracted, making them appear mentally unbalanced. These thoughts can cause a lot of doubt. These thoughts can tell the child something bad is going to happen to someone they care about. The second part of OCD is a tendency toward compulsive behavior. Compulsions are excessively repetitive and rigid behaviors or actions that are performed to reduce anxiety, ward off bad thoughts, or banish something dreaded. The child can do these actions mentally or physically. The actions are often in response to obsessions to help lessen the fear and can seem like strong habits. In general, compulsions are easier to spot you don't necessarily know what your child is thinking, but if you pay attention, you'll be able to observe compulsive behavior. Some parents believe the symptoms of OCD are just a phase. They also believe their children are acting out to get attention. If your child has OCD, this is not the case. OCD is a neurological disorder. It is not your fault that the child has OCD, so do not blame yourself. Children with OCD may have one or more co-occurring conditions. These include anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, eating disorders, autism, or Tourette Syndrome. Other disorders share similarities with OCD and can be confused with it. These include body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, hair-pulling and skin-picking disorder.
Familiarize yourself with childhood OCD. Know how obsessions work. Understand how compulsions work. Understand that OCD isn't just a phase. Know what other disorders may accompany OCD.