O c d in children

[Katybell45]

Hi I have a eleven year old son who I think suffers o c d I am waiting a child mental health doctor to get in touch my son since the age of five has shown signs of o c d and got checked then but docs said it was anxiety , but since Xmas after witnessing his brother getting assaulted on the school bus now repeats phrases like swear that nobody in our family will get cancer deseases get murdered kidnapped or stabbed if I interrupt he starts again or if I repeat it wrong I have to say it again he normally repeats in threes and if I refuse he gets upsets and begs he stares at the window twice and then gulps he checks if he moves something nothing bad will happen he has to have shoe laces one longer than the other and both same on both shoes he gets anxious of he hears the words death cancer and bye and won't let me say bye he washes hands clinically and won't have anything with other people's germs on he asks if he can catch cancer off people he is developmentally slow and has memory problems

[Katybell45]

Thanks for the comment I must admit he first got checked at five the symptoms have dramatically got worse since Xmas and more verbal rituals

[JGF25]

Sorry for the delay...I have been away and unable to use a computer.  

You are doing the right thing in seeking professional help.  Your son's actions do sound like OCD and he is not too young for the symptoms to manifest themselves.  My sister was repeatedly handwashing at age 7.  

The most important thing to do is make sure the OCD is treated.  It is the OCD that leads to the anxiety.  So I don't really agree with the diagnosis of anxiety but remember, I am not a doctor, just someone who suffers from the same disorder.  But I know for myself when the OCD is treated, the anxiety of course goes away.