I’m new here. My son who is 10 is developing OCD rapidly, I feel like it’s getting worse. I don’t know how to help him. He keeps washing his hands . He is afraid of touching everything. His hands gets irritated and starts to develop rash but he never stops. When I encounter him he gets rigid or starts to cry . He makes his brother clean himself or his hands again n again too which annoys and frustrates him which eventually cause them into serious fight. He is developing other miss behavior too. How to start with this thing ? I’m afraid if he doesn’t get help , it will get worse with age .

Changing ones diet, lots of excercise, finding a way to channel my feelings, outlets, activities, and medications have helped me

I'm sorry you are going through this! If it's possible to educate him about what he's going through that would be beneficial. Also, a good way of getting children involved in recovery is speaking in terms they can understand. You can compare ocd to a bully. The bully comes around and says give me your money or I'll through you down the stairs. If he's scared that he can actually do that then she will give him the money. This will temporarily get the bully to go away but now he bully knows what works and will continue to come back. The more you give the bully the more he takes. Ocd is the same. The more you give the ocd the more it takes. So try to educate him that each time he does a compulsion the more the ocd will take.

Hello, there are a few TED talks that I watched and shared with my parents It seemed to really help them understand what OCD is. I also would recommend any children's books about dealing with emotions or OCD. Therapy and exposure therapy have been very effective. I personally feel stronger when I talk about my OCD, and when my parents ask questions like how can I support you? What does it feel like? That must be really hard...all help me feel like they understand. Constant love and verbal praise. Maybe a feelings space to go when your child is struggling, journaling, and sensory objects like stress balls and sand. Here are the videos I shared with my parents...

https://youtu.be/AZZIxyY23IA....its called starving the ocd monster

I’ve had it since I was a kid and didn’t know it. When I was old enough to realize not everyone has the same issues as me, my mom told me I’ve been like that since a child and have had compulsions since I was little. I wish that I had started treatment when I was younger so you being here asking questions is great. There’s a lot your son will have to do on his own, and will learn to control things on his own. But starting with talking to a therapist can help immensely. More so that he has someone to talk to that isn’t a parent and will understand what is happening inside his head

Get him in to see an OCD Specialist ASAP. A specialist will give a proper diagnosis, educate both of you on how this illness works, and provide treatment and recommendations for both of you at home. A regular therapist or psychologist may not necessarily know how to treat OCD properly (though many claim to,) so finding an OCD Specialist specifically will give him the best chance at a quick recovery. There are tons of resources out there for parents: https://kids.iocdf.org/for-parents/managing-ocd-in-your-household/ You may also want to join a support group for families dealing with a member who has OCD. It can help you feel less alone, connect with others who have been through similar issues, and give you a place to turn for support and resources. You sound like a concerned and aware parent. I think you can do a lot to help your son and the earlier you seek help, the better.

Good luck. And the fact that you are looking for help shows how much you care. I always hate when people feel sorry for me, but when people are curious and supportive and just listen...that works best for me. We are here for you!

I will say my behavior even as an adult is very impulsive and can be very negative when I am really struggling with my OCD. I often try to avoid things that make me uncomfortable and in therapy I have learned that avoidance can be a compulsive. I also tend to pull away socially if I feel people dont understand me. I believe therapy and excercise and exposing myself to my fears have helped me.....I have been told that often people with OCD have very high IQs and intellect.

www.ocdkidsmovie.com is another great resource