Hello, and welcome back to The Parent Doctor Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Marissa Caudill. Please rate and follow this podcast to help spread this resource, and be sure to visit ⁠⁠theparentdoctor.com⁠⁠ to sign up for my ⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠ or join the monthly ⁠⁠book club⁠⁠. Today, we'll discuss Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the final topic of our introductory season.

Over the past 15 years as a child psychiatrist, I've identified the ten most common reasons parents bring their kids to see me. This podcast series covers these concerns, with today's focus on OCD.

OCD is characterized by obsessions (persistent, intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors to alleviate anxiety). These symptoms must cause significant distress and impair daily functioning to be diagnosed. Early intervention and treatment significantly improve outcomes.

While I am a board-certified child psychiatrist, this podcast is not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. For personalized attention, consult a local professional, which you can find through resources like psychologytoday.com or your pediatrician.

OCD often involves over-activation of primitive brain pathways that regulate our sense of safety. Thought-action fusion, the belief that thinking or doing something will influence the future, is common in OCD and needs to be addressed through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically exposure and response prevention (ERP).

In rare cases, OCD symptoms might result from autoimmune conditions like PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) or PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome). These conditions involve sudden onset OCD or other psychiatric symptoms following an infection. If you suspect PANDAS or PANS, seek care from a tertiary care center.

Treatment for OCD involves stopping the accommodation of OCD-driven behaviors, which can be challenging for families. Parents often inadvertently reinforce OCD by trying to maintain peace at home. However, this can strengthen OCD symptoms, making them harder to treat. Therapy involves gradually exposing the child to anxiety-provoking situations to help them learn that their fears are unfounded.

For more resources, I'll provide links to books for kids and teens, and the Leaky Brakes website, which offers helpful information on OCD and tic disorders. I'll also include a resource called Mightier, an app that helps kids build self-regulation skills.

In the next episode, I'll discuss the spiritual aspect of mental health. Spirituality can play a role in helping individuals with OCD separate themselves from their thoughts and emotions, aiding in treatment and recovery.

That's it for today's episode. If you have any questions or topics you'd like to discuss, please email me here. I'm also looking for guests for future episodes, so feel free to reach out if you'd like to participate.

RESOURCES:

https://www.leakybrakes.ca/brake-shop/brake-shop-virtual-clinic/

https://www.mightier.com/

https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Obsessive_Compulsive_Disorder_Resource_Center/Home.aspx

https://neuroimmune.org/patient-and-family-resources/what-are-pans-pandas/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7ZO0BhDYARIsAFttkCgwvYLKzCo0OnfNMX6FE6Hr-hM8aLYgAOGcxiRcblgAdsJkbNUw690aAuicEALw_wcB

OCD Workbook for kid: https://amzn.to/3W7F9hq

OCD workbook for teens https://amzn.to/3XUQG5j

Take care! 💕 Dr. Marissa