Children and OCD

lining up objects is one(of many!!!!!!!) earmarks for autism. THAT DOES NOT MEAN SHE IS AUTISTIC, SO DO NOT PANIC. is she hitting all her milestones? is she walking, talking, making eye contact, playing appropriately, eating and drinking appropriately, etc.? if so, she may just like order and neatness(not a bad thing!). if she has lots of other "red flags" developmentally, you may want to have a discussion with the pedi about it, but most likely, she's just fine and she'll be a neat little girl!

I think you're both ok! Actually, it's a good sign that she's noticing similarities and differences. I think she's very proud of her work, and is just upset when something happens to it (I don't blame her!) I've had some of the same worries with my son, and his OT said it is highly unlikely for a child this young to show OCD symptoms. If it continues for years, well, that's a different story. But for now, be proud of her and yourself for having such an intelligent daughter!

A good friend's son at an early age developed an 'obsession' with vacuum cleaners, which at the time, everyone thought was really cute and amusing. Friends would give him the ones that their kids had grown out of, etc., and he'd systematically line them all up by the living room wall. Turns out, he was later identified as being on the autism spectrum (Aspergers). However, in retrospect, he had some other quirky behaviors and some developmental issues as well.

On the other side of that coin, my son, at about your child's age, maybe a little older, used to line things up like crazy! Every little car he owned would be in a line across the floor. Or every flash card would be lined up. Etc. And he, too, would get frustrated if someone messed up his work. But my son is not on the spectrum. He's 4 1/2, and shows no signs of OCD or any other developmental or behavioral disorders.

I'd say that without the presence of any other troubling 'symptoms', you should just relax and treat this behavior as a developmental milestone.

Best wishes.

My 3 y.o loves organizing his toys just right. He lines up his blocks, cars, trucks, whatever he's playing with... He gets upset if I make him clean up before he's done doing what he has his mind set on (but wouldn't you if you were in the middle of something fun and were told to stop?!). He's done this from an early age (probably started about your daughter's age). But I'm not concerned at all b/c he shows no other syptoms that concern me. We do joke that he's ocd, but I know it's just part of his personality. I don't think he has a disorder of any kind. He has a speech delay, and has been evaluated by ECI and the school district for speech and any other possible delays/disorders. They told me he's very bright, and that he has excellent fine motor skills. Speech is his only delay, everything else he's actually ahead, or right at his age level. They aren't concerned about him, either (other than speech).

If you're really concerned, talk to your pedi. But unless there are other areas you're concerned about, it's most likely just her way of exploring her environment.

While this behavior is one of the many many facets of autistic behavior.....................in normally developing children this is a huge developmental milestone:).....Sorting, and grouping by attributes independently are early childhood math skills that are usually not anticipated until about age 3. If she is still hitting all her other normal milestone behaviors I would just chalk it up to having a very bright little 19 month old:) My daughter was the same way at this age, is 4 now and is not autistic. However, her personality is such that she really likes her room to be neat and everything in its place when not in use. Hope this helps!

Has she had strep recently? OCD can be linked to strep. ASO and antiDNASE titers can show if a child has chronic strep.

I thought the same thing when my oldest was in this stage. But then I realized after talking to some friends who work with young children that it is a stage all toddlers go through. It sounds like your daughter is developing normally.

My 12yods did this at this age. He would line up his cars, all pointing the same way, and if anyone moved just one, he would know it. He didn't like the line on his socks across his toes to be crooked, he was always taking his shoes off in the car.

He has Aspergers Syndrome, not diagnosed until he was 11. It really did not rear its ugly head until he hit 10 years old. I just wanted to share my story with you and encourage you to perhaps read up on Aspergers. Most doctors will not even attempt to diagnose a child that young.

My daughter did the exact same thing at that age. She is 2.5 now, and has outgrown it. Don't let yourself worry....it is most likely just a developmental stage.

Ha ha, my younger one did this, too. She was making order in a chaotic world. I would not worry about it unless it interferes with her life. In my younger daughter's case, she got sick, and this grew. It was fine at first. I loved having a child who cleaned and organized. It got obsessive for a while. What I thought about though is that there is a lot of greatness that comes from at least a touch of obsessiveness and being meticulous - after all, don't you want a surgeon with these qualities?
In any case, she is fine now, and lives in a typically messy household.

BUT, since strep can cause OCD, I would get her checked if you are concerned. And again, if it interferes with the normal; living of life, it IS a problem.

Oh, this sounds like my niece Claire when she was little. She would take spoons and line them all up, with the handles all on the same end. Her dolls, and any other object of which there were more than one, she would do the same. She's perfectly normal (aged 11).

thats very common around this age it means shes smart! being able to group things shows that she can grasp the concept of same and different. if it goes on until shes 3-4 then talk to her dr but until then be proud!

Probably not OCD. I joke that my son has it (he's 3) cause he does that with his cars, trucks, dinosaurs, etc. Everyone who has kids around his age or a little older have been through or are going through the same thing . As long as she's developmenally appropriate (meeting her milestones) I wouldn't worry.

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Do not take this too seriously b/c I truly have no idea but I do know someone who said their friend's child did this sort of thing and was autistic. Good luck, ask a doc though to be sure.