Does your child wash their hands excessively or repeatedly check things? Understanding OCD symptoms and evidence-based treatment.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors performed to reduce the anxiety generated by these thoughts (compulsions).
Common obsessions in children include contamination fears, harm-related concerns, and symmetry preoccupations. Frequently observed compulsions include excessive handwashing, checking behaviors, counting, and arranging objects in specific patterns.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard psychotherapeutic intervention for OCD. This approach is implemented within a cognitive behavioral therapy framework and involves systematic exposure to anxiety-provoking stimuli while preventing the performance of compulsive rituals. Pharmacotherapy with serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be added when clinically indicated.
Doç. Dr. Mehtap Eroğlu
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Over 15 years of clinical experience.
