pediatric ocd

My 9 yr. old daughter has recurring doubts about her behavior and thoughts. She questions if she cheated at school, if she really loves us and God, if she harmed a friend's child, etc. These are all things that she torments herself with, and she feels better when we assure her that she did not do or think these bad things. Is there something that can be done to remedy her problem?

Thank you.    David

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear David,

Such guilt-ridden obsessions often are symptomatic of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It is likely that your daughter has other obsessions as well, in addition to some compulsive behaviors that may not be obvious (sometimes such behaviors are mental in nature and thus not really observable).

It sounds like you're handling things fine from a parental perspective. In addition, have her checked out by a child mental health clinician. It may be that she doesn't require professional intervention. Some OCD occurs at a level at which it doesn't really impair the child's functioning very much. But this is worth pursuing. If professional help is in order, a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication is generally the most effective treatment plan, though sometimes therapy alone is sufficient.