OCD is a diagnosable mental health condition. Individuals with OCD experience intrusive thoughts called obsessions, and they engage in repeated behaviors, called compulsions, to relieve the anxiety that comes with these thoughts. If your child has OCD, it can be very distressing for them. Here, take the “Does My Child Have OCD?” quiz to determine if this condition might be the cause of your child’s symptoms.
1. Is your child fixated on keeping things clean?
A. My child likes a clean bedroom and probably spends a little more time cleaning than the typical child, but it doesn’t interfere with daily life.
B. My child isn’t concerned with cleanliness.
C. My child is obsessed with keeping things clean and avoiding contamination. They frequently wash their hands and worry about whether tables in public places like restaurants are clean.
2. Does your child seem to worry about germs?
A. Germs aren’t even on my child’s radar.
B. My child is constantly worried about getting sick and wants to wash their hands all the time.
C. My child is aware that germs can make them sick, and they are maybe a bit more cautious than the average kiddo, but it’s not an obsession.
3. How much does your child worry about uncertainty?
A. They like to know what to expect, but as long as there is a general idea of what will happen, my child is fine.
B. My child is pretty laid back and just goes with the flow.
C. My child needs to know everything that will happen at all times. If we are going on a vacation, they want a daily schedule. They also need as many details as possible about anything new that will be happening.
4. Does your child ever worry about bad things happening to themselves or someone else?
A. Sometimes my child worries about getting sick, but we take steps to reassure them, which tends to help.
B. My child generally doesn’t worry about things unless there is a reason, such as a friend or family member becoming ill.
C. My child is apprehensive that they or someone else will get a severe disease, and they try to take steps to prevent it, such as by washing their hands or following a strict routine.
5. Would your child become upset by a deviation from their usual routine?
A. My child values structure and tends to do well, but a slight deviation wouldn’t throw them off.
B. My child cannot handle any deviation in routine. They need things to be exactly as planned or become very upset.
C. They might complain or show some frustration over a change, but they would overcome it with some discussion and reassurance.
6. Does your child seem to be fixated on doing things the “right” way?
A. Yes! Everything must be done perfectly. My child even scolds me for not doing things the way that they perceive to be correct.
B. My child prefers to do things according to the usual rules, but they don’t become hysterical with a slight deviation.
C. My child is pretty laid back. They can accept different ways of doing things.
7. Does your child ever worry about things like whether or not the doors are locked?
A. Things like this probably don’t even cross my child’s mind.
B. My child is a little helper and might remind me to lock the doors at night.
C. My child becomes anxious at bedtime and asks me if the doors and windows are locked because they are afraid of something bad happening.
8. How often does your child worry about someone they love, such as a parent or grandparent, dying or becoming very ill?
A. They might worry about it briefly if a friend’s parent or grandparent gets very sick, but it’s not a regular worry.
B. This isn’t something my child ever worries about.
C. My child worries about this frequently and feels that they need to protect family members from getting sick.
9. Does your child need things to be perfectly orderly?
A. They prefer their bedroom to be pretty tidy, with all toys in their specific place, but they don’t become upset by the disorder. They just like to know where everything is.
B. Not at all. They can be pretty messy.
C. Yes! Everything has to be precisely in order. My child gets upset if I move a toy to clean.
10. Your child finds a speck of dirt on their drinking glass. What is their most likely response to this?
A. They would begin screaming that their cup is dirty and demand a new one.
B. My child probably wouldn’t even notice this.
C. They might mention that their cup was dirty and wipe it off.
