Understanding OCD in Children
Many people think OCD is just about washing, checking, or cleaning—the repetitive behaviours we can see, called compulsions or rituals. But what we cannot see are the intrusive thoughts, called obsessions. These are like a bully in the child's head, nagging that harm will come to them or their loved ones unless they complete the compulsions.
Kitty and her husband Daniel co-founded Nip in the Bud after their daughter spent years worrying about harm coming to herself and others in primary school. She wasn't diagnosed with OCD until she was 16. Today, their daughter is happily married with a lovely child and a successful career, but the OCD continues to affect her life. If there had been more information about OCD in those days and it had been nipped in the bud when she was nine years old, the condition would not have become so entrenched.
Nip in the Bud strongly believes that early intervention and support for children ensures far better outcomes. These resources are here to help you recognise and support children with OCD.
