A family struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

1. How does it feel to be the parent of your child?

As the parent of a child with obsessive compulsive disorder, it is a struggle each day to cope with the sometimes debilitating symptoms that my 8 year old son Andy endures.  Just getting ready for school in the morning takes ten times as long as it should because Andy must step on each stair three times as he descends the staircase, washes his hands until they are red before he will even sit down for breakfast, and checks his backpack a half dozen times before we can get out the door!  That doesn't even include his compulsions he has for getting into and out of the car.  I feel helpless, and scared for my young son who has to live his life this way, unable to enjoy the carefree days of childhood like other children.  My heart breaks each time I think and wonder what Andy's life is going to be like when he becomes an adult.  I feel so  guilty because I wonder if it was something I did to cause this to happen to my son. 

2.  How is your child developmentally the same or different from other children at the various ages?

Andy is developmentally the same as other children externally.  He is of average height and weight.  He looks perfectly "normal", and a stranger would not know that Andy suffered from OCD, unless they were very observant.  However, his obsessive thoughts, and rituals he must perform are certainly different from what other children experience.  Andy is not as easy going as other children, and must do things in a certain order, or he thinks something terrible will happen.  He has no control over these thoughts, and that makes his different from other children as well.

3.  What professionals/agencies do you deal with?  What services are available to you and your child?

Our family deals with the Orange County Spectrum Disorder agency.  Through this agency we found a wonderful child therapist for Andy who is starting him on a behavioral therapy plan that will  help Andy cope with his disorder.  Through this agency we have also found a support system for our family to help us all learn to cope with  how Andy's OCD has affected our family life.

4.How did you find out about the above services?

A family friend recommended the agency to us when we discussed with her our concerns about Andy. 

5.What financial burden, if any, are you experiencing?

The financial burden for Andy's treatment is significant.  Our health insurance will only pay for a small portion of Andy's treatment costs, and we must pay for the balance.  We recently had to take out a loan from our credit union to help pay the high cost of therapy for Andy.

6.  What other information do you want to share?

I would like for people to know that it is important to discuss with your doctor any signs of ritual or compulsive behavior your child may be exhibiting as soon as they show up, and not to wait to see if they will go away.  That is what we did with Andy, as he showed the first signs of OCD when he was just five years old.  The sooner the diagnoses is made, the sooner you can start a program to help your child and your family cope with the difficult aspects of obsessive compulsive disorder.

http://lindacc.edu.glogster.com/ocd/