I am a mother of a 10 year old with ocd. She has been seeing an ocd therapist for over a year now but has had ongoing struggles staying at school. We have a 504 plan and school has been really accommodating with her. She is always saying she wishes she could be homeschooled. I’m just curious what are some thoughts on this: homeschooling vs going to public school for a kid with ocd? What would be the pros & cons of homeschooling? Thanks for your feedback.

Hi. My daughter has an anxiety disorder too (prob OCD). She begged us to homeschool her for a long time. We didn't. Occupational Therapy, CBT and Agressive ERP improved her condition in as little as 2 months.

Interesting, my daughter has the same fears. My Therapist (OCD specialist) told me that it is way easier to treat children because the reward system is broader with them. I had my daughter listen to vomit and diarrhea sounds in exchange of some toys, candy, etc. She endured the ERP valiantly- she cried a lot but she overcame her fears in just a couple of weeks. Wish you the best!

Hi I work in a school! My advice would be to not homeschool her, it may seem like you’re doing her a favour but it could encourage her to become more recluse and could even make her OCD worse. It would make her feel better in the short term but not long term :(

Hello, as a person who has struggled with OCD for many years I have to agree with the comments above. OCD is a very isolating disorder and I think one big con of homeschooling is that it could potentially make things worse by not being around other people as much therefore having more time to think and get lost in OCD.

I agree. I have high functioning autism and ocd. The ocd decided to plague me in the 10th grade. Doctors felt that I should be homeschooled, so that's what we did. I was relieved and grateful at the time, but now in my adulthood, I think it made it worse! I regret it.

Sounds like a difficult situation, and I relate in my own way. The aim is to be integrated and to manage OCD in normal situations. OCD loves isolation and lack of routine. These are perfect conditions for it to survive. Many sufferers of OCD learn to manage their conditions and go on to be highly successful in their careers. Careers which involve skillfully interacting with people. School can be a golden opportunity to develop these skills. Sometimes what seems like the easiest option is actually the hardest option long term.

Thanks for your feedback. It is good to hear from different perspectives on this matter. Agree that going to school and using the tools she is learning through ERP and CBT will help her to keep OCD down by exposing her to her fears (which is getting sick, vomit, nausea, symptoms of stomach virus,etc) & also enable her to make connections with friends. Maybe homeschooling would be more of a “reassurance” for her ocd and make it harder for her to adjust to real world when she becomes an adult. Thanks for your input.

My daughter also sees an ocd specialist and “graduated” therapy after 9 months of intensive ERP. She also watched vomit videos, ate vomit jelly beans, had to eat lots of “rich” fried foods or sweets she associated with stomach aches, ride in the car on windy roads, etc. Her therapist also had us use a point tracker system where she would earn rewards. After a few months of “graduating” and shrinking her ocd, her ocd really started bugging her again & so we went back for a “tune up” as her doctor called it. She is currently in therapy especially with the new school year starting. May I ask how old your daughter is and does she have days when her ocd flares up? When does it flare up the most? For mine, it’s sometimes but not all the time: school days, going to her extra curricular activities, sometimes when she goes to a friends house, or sometimes eating out. It’s definitely been a challenge for our whole family but we’ve learned how to deal with it and also help her too.

I am glad she has had the help of an OCD specialist. - Kudos to you for providing her with the best treatment possible. I wish my parents had done the same for me when I was a child, but they were not even aware. My daughter is 8. So far her obsessions have not been bothering her, actually she says that she is cured - haha. However she worries a lot about minor stuff when she is under a lot of stress (school plus piano lessons plus language lessons). I feel that since I have OCD (She hasn't been officially diagnosed with OCD only anxiety) I can tell when she is spending a lot of time in her head and I call her out on it. We talk a lot and she tells me her fears and worries - I validate them and we work on relaxation techniques and other CBT practices she learned in OT. I am constantly observing her attitude towards things and call out on her "bully". She does the same thing with me - Lol. We have agreed that we won't let 'our bullies' manage our lives. - The thing with anxiety disorders is that every day should be training day and watching for "minor" behaviours that can be a teaching opportunity.