Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Toddler OCD - Outing My Kid

Several of you have asked about the pediatrician visit, so I guess I really should update you (especially since the previous post says "Update to follow").

Jack's pediatrician has ruled out autism, which we never thought it was anyway. Waaaay to social and "Mr. Charming" to be anywhere on that spectrum. However, Erin makes an excellent point: Aren't we ALL on The Spectrum these days? It's like Autism is the new ADD. If the pediatricians think there is the slightest sign, they seem more than happy to assign a diagnosis of some disease on The Autism Spectrum. But I digress....especially, since thankfully, our pediatrician assures us we are not on that spectrum...

What she DOES think it could be is a little OCD. Normally, she said she wouldn't be worried about the constant door fixation. However, because it is seeming to interfere with his time at the JCC (e.g. circle time, playing with others, etc.) she wants to have the specialists at Children's take a look at him. She said there is a slight possibility that he has OCD, and a greater possibility that he is very determined and very fixated with doors right now. It seems like every toddler has their "thing." Ours is doors. Either way, we're waiting on a call from Children's to schedule a test.

Part of me will be relieved to have answers if, indeed, Jack does have a mild form of OCD. However, the other part of me says "Can't he just b normal until he is old enough to choose to dye his hair blue, wear safety pins through his eyebrow and paint his fingernails black and be The Goth Kid?" If there is going to be something "off" about him, I want it to be HIS decision to appear off. On the other hand (we're back on the first hand, now), if it is OCD, early intervention is key in having it managed so it is not a distraction for him by the time he is in a real school environment.

My friend Jenny has it on good authority that OCD is also a "spectrum disorder." Let's hope we're on the happy, pale side of the spectrum. Not the angry, deep, dark colors side.

2 comments:

naomic3 said...

No, OCD is not a spectrum disorder. It falls in the family of either anxiety disorders (if acute) or in my case, a personality disorder. BUT MIND YOU: it's only a "disorder" if it significantly interferes with all aspect of maintaining a regular life. Thus, I (personally) have OCD >traits< but can function normally enough to do my dailies. Nicholas was dx'ed with a borderline anxiety (mainly separation anxiety with a touch of generalized nervousness) and two years later he's still working on growing out of it.

I'm sure Jack will be the freaky, scary teenager you fear he will become when he's 15, intentionaly, just to scare the pants off of ya. In the meantime, any quirks he has are just... there. "under its general definition, neurosis is a normal human experience, part of the human condition." And that's according to Wikipedia, so you know it's gotta be true. :-)

smarmygal said...

See, you have JUST enough access to medical information to be scary and you say it with JUST enough authority so as to possibly be believed. Frankly, you frighten me. However, I'm glad you're on my side :)