OT--but would like some opinions
a little background on BD6:
she was born at 32 weeks because i developed toxemia, emergency c-section. she was 3lbs 4oz, 16in long. she was breathing on her own, her scores were great, everyone was amazed. she spent 5 weeks in NICU because they wanted to make sure she could master the suck-swallow-breathe things, she had bradicardia, and they had to make sure she could regulate her temp and gain weight. her head circ. was small and i was warned about some things developing as she got older.
so far diagnoses are microcephaly, mild c.p., and since she turned six the developmental delay title has been taken away but now adhd was put in there. over the last few months, i have noticed something else too, and this is where i need opinions:
she began putting things around her room in various places (not anyone else's stuff, just her own). to make a long story short, her room looks like a meuseum (sp). i had always kept her room cleaned and organized and as she got older it just the way she loved it. she wouldnt go to bed in her room if it was messy. i just thought i had instilled cleanliness and organization into her life, but lately im concerned.
as i said, all of ther things are basically on display, each thing has its own place and dont dare move it. we had a sleepover with 2 of her cousins and my daughter had a meltdown cause the toys were being played with. crying she said to me: "all of my things are being moved around and i need it to be perfect!".
it sounds like OCD to me. a couple of times, when at my sisters and it was clean up time, bd6 re-arranged the toy room and insisted it stay that way.
mind u, my daughter is NOT a spoiled brat or a bully or anything like that. her behavior has become obsessive. im calling the pedi tomorrow but just wanted to hear some of your opinions. im also gonna call the school to see if she has any rituals there.
^^^I totally agree with all
^^^I totally agree with all of this. Wise words in those last two paragraphs especially!
I work with a boy who has
I work with a boy who has OCD. He is constantly worried about how he does his homework, if his shoe laces are "perfect", if the Legos are on the floor, he goes nuts. From reading the little you described, I can picture the little boy I work with (8 YO) doing these things at home. He is in normal classes, normal afterschool care, and only slightly behind grade level (second grade, held back in kindergarden before diagnosis). It is not easy for him but he manages. He takes medication and while his symptoms are still there, he is better able to control his impulses to "fix" things. One can tell, however, when he has not taken his medication. He comes from a divorced family where the mother enforces medication and the father does not follow the procedure on his days, causing MAJOR disruptions for him.
If it is OCD, then I do suggest you follow through with medication. I know that most people do not like to medicate their child, but seeing this kid fly off the hinges because his bookbag zipper is not all the way down, or his shoe laces do not line up in his exact preferred pattern is the result. Just be careful and get second, and third opinions before you automatically start medication. Good luck! I hope you find your answers.
my bd has ocd and she is an
my bd has ocd and she is an adult now. I always taught her to keep things neat and clean and thought that was what it was until it got a bit out of hand. I also taught her that not everyone likes things arranged like her but everyone has things arranged the way they like it to be even if it's on the floor!! I NEVER once in my life thought I was perhaps ocd myself until I met my current husband. He teases me lightly about it sometimes but likes that I like my house certain cleanliness and style. When his mom comes and she brings things she sets them all over my house and I literally have to hold myself back until she leaves to either pack the stuff away or rearrange it. My mom was also a bit ocd. I am not making light of the diagnoses at all but I think there are degrees to it. We have it pretty minor in my family but I have a friend who is much more severe then me. It can be very consuming.