My 11 year old son has ADHD-Inattentive, among other things. I was wondering if Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is common among ADHD children. My son has a habit which drives me crazy as well as his 3 year old sister. For the past 2 years he has a habit of touching her nose and mouth with his open hand any time she walks by or he walks by her. He does it unconsciously for the most part. I worry about the germs he is spreading to her and she just gets mad. It really worries me that this could be OCD. Does it sound like it and if so, what do you do for it?
Jackie
possibly
Greetings Jackie,
According to Dr. Daniel Amen, a leading ADD specialist, OCD behaviors are strongly linked with the type of ADD he labels Overfocused ADD. Through SPECT imaging, both OCD and Overfocused ADD experience increased activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus. A hyperactive anterior cingulate gyrus causes difficulty in shifting attention from getting locked or stuck in patterns of thought or behavior. Traditional ADD medication like Ritalin can make the Overfocused ADDer worse. Dr. Amen indicated that edication which increases serotonin levels is most effective with this type of ADD.
I would encourage you to check out Dr. Amen’s website at brainplace.com. Also, he provides a checklist to determine which type(s) of ADD exist. You can access the checklist at:
http://www.brainplace.com/bp/checklist/default.asp
Blessings, momo
Re: Is this OCD?
I just finished reading “Daredevils and Daydreamers” by Barbara Ingersoll, PHD. She states that concurrent anxiety or mood disorders are quite common in ADHD individuals. OCD is one of the several listed. She also states that a kid might start out with ADHD only but as s/he grows older, a mood or anxiety disorder might also present itself.
In my experience, I’ve seen and heard of a fair number of people with ADHD who also are OCD. Mention it to your child’s dr.
I’m assuming your son received a psych eval for the diagnosis of ADD and is on medication. Certain types of meds. can exaggerate a personality tendancy. I would talk to the doctor who is prescribing the meds. Let him know how he is behaving. They can change medication. Also, there is some behavior modification stuff (rewards/consequences) for behavioral changes.