Tics or Compulsive behavior?

[aggie]

My son, age 10, has got different tics that varies over time. Or maybe it is compulsive behavior, I am not sure. Or is it both at the same time? At the moment he jumps on the spot and make a spinn, 360 degrees. He needs to do this for example 1-3 times before he brushes his teeth, 1-2 times before he goes out the door and so on. Is this a tic or does it sound more like a compulsary behavior? He is well aware about this, he sometimes tell me, "wait mum I just need to spinn".

 

[Judge]

Yep. That sounds like OCD. I have it. Formally diagnosed in 1982.

Ritualistic behaviors. Can't go to bed at night without checking to see if my door is locked. Many times. Even when I know I already checked. Same with my auto burglar alarm. And I have perceived consequences for doing the most benign things. Almost like superstition on steroids. And yet while I'm completely aware of it, I'm more often than not powerless to stop it.

 

[onthefarm]

Yes OCD, my son has it too, began around age 7. Started with having to turn the lights on and off a certain number of times before leaving a room, then going up and down the stairs a certain number of times. It is an anxiety-based condition that is very common in kids with ASD. There are behavioral treatments (e.g. cognitive behavior therapy) but at 10 he's probably too young (at least it didn't work with my son for that reason). We dealt with it OK but eventually my son's anxiety got to be so severe that we had to use medication. Which has worked great for him.

 

[Sully]

It could be OCD, but what you've said here is certainly not enough information to satisfy the diagnostic criteria. The need to spin could just be from vestibular hyposensitivity. Does he have other compulsions, anxiety, or other sensory seeking behaviors?