We see rituals and obsessive behaviors quite often in preschool children. Parents often complain that their children wear the same clothes, want to use the same spoon, eat a certain way. Not every obsession in this period means that the child has a mental problem. Obsessions at this age are sometimes the child’s way of developing skills, sometimes the result of an effort to control his life and it is completely normal. Obsessive compulsive disorder is much more than that, it causes distress in all areas of a child’s life and is very rare before 7 years of age.
To understand this disorder, it is first necessary to define obsessions and compulsions:
Obsessions (obsessive thoughts): unwanted and disturbing thoughts. They create a feeling of intense anxiety and discomfort. example: repeating abusive words repeatedly. Compulsion: things the child does to reduce intense anxiety caused by obsessions. The child tries to get rid of the intense distress caused by the obsession with a repetitive behavior. Sometimes there are also mental compulsions, so the child brings another thought to his mind to lessen the effect of the obsession. Example: Washing hands 20 times so that the words that cross your mind will pass. Common obsessions:
• Pollution: It is quite common. Worrying about touching some objects and getting dirty, and worrying about getting sick can be given as examples.
• Fear of accidentally hurting someone or oneself
• Symmetry: it can be defined as the need to arrange objects according to a certain color and size.
• Perfection: for example, the desire to make sure that one’s clothing fits exactly as it should.
• Forbidden thoughts: these obsessions increase as you enter adolescence. It can be abusive thoughts, sexual thoughts, unwanted but haunting images. Common Compulsions:
• Washing/cleaning: excessive hand washing, cleaning the kitchen repeatedly, showering repeatedly or for a long time…
• Checking: checking the door, purse, phone to see if a loved one is okay, this For this reason, not being able to complete the work to be done, not being able to leave the house.
• Count, tap, tap, delete
• Sort, organize Symptoms can change over time. Very young children may not be able to express their obsessions and associated fears. Obsessive-compulsive disorder can lead to feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, shame, and guilt in children.
Obsessions are very tiring for both the child and the family. Mealtimes and bedtimes turn into nightmares for the family. The child tries to get help from his family to alleviate his distress, and he adds them to his obsession system. “Am I dirty?” he asked his mother 20-30 times. he may ask, asking his father to wash his glass over and over again. Children generally control these obsessions better at school than at home, but the distress they experience leads to a decrease in school success, deterioration in friendships, and difficulties in focusing.
