Religious and somatic (body or health-related) symptoms appear to be more common in child versus adolescent or adult groups and ordering and hoarding symptoms more common in child/adolescent versus adult groups. However, rates of these symptom types tend to differ by age. All categories of adult OCD symptoms may appear in children and adolescents, including sexual, aggressive and religious obsessions. For example, while an OCD affected adult may recognize that stopping a superstitious ritual is desirable, an OCD-affected child may view the ritual as a literally protective act (e.g., a child who doesn’t want to stop being afraid of germs or to stop repetitively washing, compared with an adult who desperately wants to be able to stop and to lose the worries).Ī second distinction between OCD symptoms across age groups is the content of the disabling obsessions andcompulsions. One way that childhood/adolescent OCD differs from OCD in adults is that youngsters may not always realise that their thoughts, worries or behaviours are excessive. These serve as a part of normal child development, in contrast with OCD symptoms, which impair function and distract the child from learning normal developmental tasks. Of special note, the insistence on repetitive or ‘just right’ behaviours that occurs during the ‘terrible twos’ stage in toddlers is distinct from illness-related OCD symptoms. People with OCD have repetitive thoughts or images that they can’t control, and the anxiety caused by these thoughts leads to impulses or actions that are distressing, time-consuming or limiting to normal functioning. OCD presentation is very similar across children, adolescents and adults. Efforts are being made to increase awareness and recognition of this treatable illness within schools and in the general population. Without an alternate explanation, they may have come to believe that they were ‘crazy’ or that they must keep their worries and behaviors as a shameful secret. Sadly, many of these individuals went through childhood before recognizing that they had OCD. Numerous OCD-affected adults had childhood-onset of their illness. This article focuses on OCD as it occurs in children and adolescents, compared with OCD in adults. It has been argued that childhood-onset OCD may represent a unique subtype of the disorder with distinct characteristics. The second peak occurs in early adulthood, also during a time of developmental transition, when educational and occupational stresses tend to be high. This time frequently coincides with increasing school and performance pressures, in addition to biologic changes of brain and body that accompany puberty. Around the ages of 10 to 12 years, the first peak of OCD cases occur. OCD has peaks of onset at two different life phases: pre-adolescence and early adulthood. It is the fourth most common mental illness after phobias, substance abuse, and major depression. Previously thought to be rare, OCD is reported to occur in 1-3% of people. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adolescents. Published by the OC Foundation Inc., USA. Reprinted with permission from the OCD Newsletter, Volume 22, Number 3, Summer 2008. Evelyn Stewart, M.D., Child Psychiatrist, MGH OCD Clinics, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, USA
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |