My 7 1/2 yr old son has OCD/Sensory

[maddysamommy]

This is going to be a long post but Im at a loss.
Our son has been diagnosed with severe OCD. I feel its more of on a sensory level. He doesnt count things and have to do it a certain amount of times , but he does have these rituals that drive him crazy if it doesnt go as planned in his head.
The morning rituals are that he wont come to the breakfast table until the close he wears fits just right, match just right, feel just right and the whole time hes getting more n more aggressive as the minutes go on.
Getting him to pick what he wants to eat is a chore. I try to limit the choices to 2 hot choices and alwys the alternate is cereal.
He has to eat watching T.V.. Hes always screaming around the house because hes frustrated.

Going to the bathroom is the worst. Hes always feeling like hes not clean enough when he goes poop. No matter how much he wipes himself, I go in to help. Ive used wet wipes, wet paper towels and its cleanner than anything. I even sometimes wash it with a wash rag, still not good. He has put holes in walls abd attacked us. Hes threatened our lives and wanted to kill us.
He throws things and could almost see right through you when hes raging.
Once its all over, which could take as long as 2 hrs later, he crys and cant believe what hes done and said.
Its sooo hard to watch your child suffer and not be able to do anything to comfort him and fix him.

Our marrage is on thin ice because we both work all day and come home and have a full time job trying to keep this child at a comfortable state.
We cant put our guard down until after hes asleep. 8-9 pm at night.

Hes better in school. Great grades, but has a problem with disturbing the class not working independantly and quietly. Calling out.

I Have him in therapy now. we took him off meds because he has more aggression like the hilk and has nose bleeds, anytime weve tried him on meds.
I would like to try a natural way to help him.
If anyone has any advice, PLEASE, WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!

Thanks
Maddy

[Athena_M]

I googled OCD and Sensory Integration disorder and vitamin deficiencies.  It looks like there may be a B12,  B6 and or folic acid deficiency.  Since I started giving my son children's gummy bear vitamins (without red dye) I have noticed less of the Sensory Integration problems.  But check with the pediatrician first to make sure it is OK.  

[Athena_M]

Yes, sounds like Sensory Integration disorder.  

[specialmom]

I've read different things about allergies too and that is always worth checking out.  You never know.  It was not he case for my son at all but every parent should examine all posibilities.  However, the issues with clothes would certainly be tactile.  

[Athena_M]

Have you looked into seeing if your son has food allergies?  I read that some people are allergic to certain foods and will fly into a psychotic rage if they eat a banana.  Also red dyes in foods and sugar on an empty stomach can cause behavioural problems.  Even if he doesn't have food allergies he could still have food sensitivities.  Try looking into the Feingold diet.  We had to do this with my son.  He is very sensitive to red dye and sugar will cause behavior problems.  

[specialmom]

Hello.  I have a 6 year old with sensory integration disorder.  It has been a process parenting him through his sensory issues.  My son shows some slight signs of anxiety which I would say are secondary to anything else going on.  (all kids are different and it is important to try to understand it all and cover the bases.)  My son, for example, chews on his sleeves as a soothing technique when nervous.  

Sensory is treated by an occupational therapist.  Tactile defensiveness can be a part of what you discuss with regards to food (and by the way, cereal is recommended for sensory kids because the crunching of the cereal wakes up the nervous system) and clothing issues.  A child can have quite a few quirks regarding both of these and they are not made up.  I'd choose your battles.  If he wants cereal every day . . . go with it.  In occupational therapy, the nervous system is addressed so that a child can cope better.  An occupational therapist also helps strategize for behavior issues (common with sensory due to inability to control impulses and regulation problems with mood ---  ie: gets upset, can't self soothe, escalates easily).  They use such things as mood thermometers to help kids with temper tantrums and strategies specific to the child to help.  Usually a child with sensory (and I imagine anxiety) has an intense need to control their enviroment, be stuck with a routine, lack flexibility, etc.  That is a coping mechanism.

The thing that throws me off, however, is that your son does fairly well in school.  Unless he is just keeping it together there and then falls apart at home, it is usually the other way around with sensory.  Home is better than school.  
goodluck

[jdtm]

OCD is one of the anxiety disorders.  Often sensory issues are co-morbid with anxiety issues (begin to "fix" the anxiety issues and the sensory issues will lesson).  Your son requires treatment and probably medication.  There are many, many effective meds for anxiety disorders - some work for some people; others for other people.  Unfortunately, it can be an time of trial and error.  And unless there is a major "discovery" in the medical research field, treatment will extend over your son's lifetime.  That said, the prognosis is excellent for early treatment of this issue.

I feel you should be seeking advice from a mental medical health specialist with experience in anxiety disorders (as a child psychiatrist of child neurologist).  As far as I know, there is no "natural way" to treat OCD (which is one of the more difficult anxiety/mood disorders).  By the way, the longer the lack of treatment exists; the longer and more difficult the recovery will be.  Sorry to be so negative - but this is your son's reality as we've been there.  I do wish you the best ....