Hi, I have noticed some similar behavior in my daughter. Although I am not sure this will help, I think it may be of use to you. I am not a psycologist or anythone like that, but I recommend art therapy. I term it "art therapy" simply because it helps the child and YOU to deal with uncomfortable or scary issues. All you have to do is go to the store and buy some markers, crayons, and white large paper. Sit down with your eight-year-old niece and ask her to draw how she feels today. Tell her to be creative! Each day you guys do this and when the "scary" or "odd" thinking pops up, ask her to draw what she is feeling or seeing. Sooner than you know you will have some answers. Children do not rationalize like we do. It sounds like the topic of "death" is on her mind. Perhaps she is simply trying to deal with the emotions associated with this. Lastly, I recommend theis book, The Way I Feel Written And Ill. by Janan Cain. This is a simple book with lots of good pictures. It contains very little writing, and is a great book to engage in concversation. The idea is to get to the root of the negative feeling or behavior. Good LucK to YOU!!!:)Nicky
Obsessive-type OCD can be difficult to discern in youn children because the condition is, to some extent, 'hidden'. That is, children can be having obsessive thoughts that they do not reveal, and they may be engaging in mental activities which are not observable and which are compulsive in nature. Now, it's not clear that this is what is occurring with your niece, but it is a distinct possibility. If the symptoms were confined to only what you have described, it really wouldn't compel any need for specialized intervention. However, it's likely that your niece has other troubling (to her) thoughts, beyond those which she has conveyed. It would be prudent to arrange an evaluation with a mental health professional who will be able to inquire about your niece's mental status and investigate thoe possibility of emotional disorder. If she is otherwise functioning well, it is likely this situation will not really get in her way very much. But it is worth pursuing a bit (in particular if there is any famiy history of anxiety or other emotional disorder).