I Think My Child Might Have OCD: What Do I Do?
Breaking the Rules: A Clinician's Guide to Treating OCDShow Notes
This one's for the parents. In this episode of Breaking the Rules, Dr Celin Gelgec and Dr Tori Miller tackle one of the most common questions they hear from families - I think my child might have OCD. Where do I even start?
The episode begins with Celin sharing a moment from a school tour with her three-year-old daughter — catching herself wondering whether her daughter's leaf-counting was a compulsion, before laughing and pulling herself back. It's a perfect illustration of what happens when you know too much. And also of the core question this episode explores: how do you tell the difference between normal childhood behaviour and something worth paying attention to?
They walk through the watch, wait, wonder principle — why not rushing in to diagnose, label, or rescue is often the most helpful thing a parent can do. They explore what normal development looks like at different ages, why the 7–12 age group is when OCD most commonly first emerges, and what the telltale signs are that something has shifted from typical childhood anxiety to something more persistent. They also get practical — what to do if you're worried, who to talk to, and which resources are worth your time.
Warm, funny, honest, and genuinely useful. Whether you're a parent with questions, a clinician who works with families, or someone who grew up with OCD and is finally making sense of it — this one's for you.
In this episode, you'll learn: Why context and developmental age are everything when it comes to reading your child's behaviour The watch, wait, wonder principle — and why not rushing in is actually the most helpful thing you can do What typical development looks like at different ages — and why so much of what looks like OCD is actually completely normal Why the 7–12 age group is when OCD most commonly begins — and what developmental factors contribute to that The difference between typical childhood anxiety and reassurance-seeking vs OCD-specific patterns The telltale signs that something has shifted — frequency, intensity, impact on functioning, and family life The one sign that's most specific to OCD: when one reassurance is never enough, and it needs to be said in just the right way Practical next steps — GP, maternal child health, psychologist, and the community resources worth knowing about Why your job as a parent is not to stop what's happening — it's to help them with what's happening
Resources mentioned: Anxiety Recovery Centre of Victoria International OCD Foundation — iocdf.org Natasha Daniels — YouTube and parenting community Eli Lebowitz — resources for families
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