Treatment

One of the most important components of a CBT treatment of OCD is working towards the goal of being able to endure obsessions without having to carry out compulsions.

In practice, it is possible together with the therapist to list different situations that are difficult to cope with and then voluntarily expose the child to these situations. Usually this begins with an easier situation and progresses to gradually more difficult situations.

Medication

If your child has obsessive-compulsive disorder that despite psychological treatment causes a lot of suffering for the child and takes up a large part of the day, the benefits of a medication can be significant. Sometimes the medication can make all compulsions/obsessions disappear, but usually the symptoms are only reduced. This makes it easier to practice so that the compulsions/obsessions that remain are easier to deal with or cease.

There is great experience and research on the use of drugs for OCD treatment. It is reassuring to know that no serious long-term side effects have occurred, even when medication has begun in childhood.

It is your responsibility to ensure that medication is taken once a day, and if you forget, the effects are reduced. It is therefore good if you can develop a working routine together with your child to remember the medication.

It usually takes about a month before the medication starts doing good and then you need to continue for a long time.