12 year with OCD behavior,

[Michelle223]

My son has several different issues going on and I don't know where to begin.  He has a list of things he is afraid of. He washes he hands for about 10 minutes at a time, thoroughly getting each finger and drying them over and over.  
He is very worried about things, situations around him, and he has trouble going to sleep by himself at night.  Does all this fall under the OCD catagory?

[Binsta]

sorry it posted while I was typing.  He maybe developing an OCD ritual from his fears.  Do you know what triggers his fears?  Can you sit down and discuss it with him.  Have you seen a GP or psych about his issues?  If not I recommend talk to him about this at the time of day feels most comfortable and less fearful he will be able to handle discussing his issue with you better.  Its horribly confronting is someone tells you what you are doing for the first time.

Does he wash is hands with soap?  good idea is to buy a soap free handwash that will not make his hands so dry and sore and also ask him to put cream on if possible after he drys them so the hands will get better, barrier creams are best.  I use QV cream or Scilia 15 cream.

You can introduce cognitive behavioural therapy to help the hand washing and reduce the time and amount he washes his hands, this will also make him feel more anxious in the beginning though as his mind has to fight the OCD while washing hands.

Happy to answer any more questions as I have gone through this myself and still going through it and have tried numerous ways

[Binsta]

Hi Michelle

I have OCD fear of germs which result in the compulsion of excessive handwashing with soap and the length of washing my hands and how I wash them.  I think yes, your son maybe developing an OCD ritual from h