Ocd

My 22 month old is very similar... especially with the fuzz and cat hair on the stairs! She gets totally obsessed with any pice of hair... she can't just shake it off her hand... she has to yell "hair mama, hair mama!" Until I take it from her.

She also has to close hubby's dresser drawers and if a piece of clothes makes it not close perfectly, she gets upset until I tuck it in so she can close it...

Anyway, I am thinking it's ok. OCD is really only a problem (later in life) if it is gets in the way of living a fulfilling, and stress-free life. I think we all obsess over certain things the way we like it....

As far as how to help him not be so obsessive.... I was told to try to get her dirty with things like play-doh and sand boxes. So, you can try that.... but really, it sounds like all toddlers go through this.

My little guy was a little ocd at that age too. He had a thing with doors, they all needed to be closed all the time. He also was very compulsive about things being neat and clean. Now he is 3 1/2 and all that has gone out the window. Don't worry, this like most other things will pass and change to something else.

Hi A.,

My 15-month-old has recently started the same thing! He brings me little fuzzies he finds on the floor and wants me to throw them away, too. My mother-in-law says I should just be thankful that he's not eating them!
My son is achingly "obsessed" with lights & fans--he's constantly pointing to them and spends an excessive amount of time turning them on and off. My back was killing me from holding him up to the light switches, so I finally caved in and bought a pack of extenders so that he can do it himself to his little heart's content!! I, too, was starting to worry that he has some form of OCD, but I've been assured by my pediatrician (and countless others) that this is "normal" behavior. I'm sure our kids will outgrow these "compulsions" once something else catches their eye. Look on the bright side--at least your son isn't playing with the dirty diaper--he's intelligent--and neat! Don't worry, Mamma ... I think he's doing just fine!
-T

Most likely he will grow out of it, as it sounds like a phase. And even if he turns out to be a 'neat freak', SO WHAT?? -- I wish even just one of my kids cared about cleaning up ANYTHING.

Hi A.,
Be thankful for your little guy's fastidious behavior. Perhaps this is just his personality shining through and there are big plans on the way for his future that are only possible with his attention to detail and desire for environmental cleanliness. My four year old son exhibited similar behavior (would want to change clothes if they got wet from a little splash, etc.). He no longer seems bothered by those things he once was, but by letting him be himself, he knows that we respect him and understand that we all have our own preferences. My daughter, who is 10 now, was also very particular about clothing (texture) and sounds. She was "high needs", definitely. Luckily, she was the first child (out of soon to be 6!) and we had the time and attention to help her find comfort in the environment. Now she is an exceptional student and doesn't exhibit any of the particular high needs behavior she did as a small child. We all change and grow. Perhaps we challenge one another for a reason?...All my best to you and your sweet family.
G.

So normal! My friend's son is the same age, and just as nitpicky! And my son is 14 months, and now picks up every little piece of trash or lint and either hands it to me or puts it in the trash can. I just say, "Thank you!" (while squirming) and try not to react too strongly when it's something really gross...

This is a new, exciting time for your son. He's making choices (and demands), and people (and the world around him) are responding! Heady stuff!

Hi A., I don't know if you're still reading responses, but one thing it might be helpful to know is that this kind of behavior is, I believe, an age-appropriate developmental phase. Your son is at the age where mastery and control become really important issues. He is having his first experiences with learning that he can have an impact on the world by what he says and what he does. It is very normal and is how kids learn, grow and develop. OCD is an anxiety disorder and the symptoms you describe, while common to popular descriptions of OCD, really do not meet the criteria for such a disorder, so you can rest easy on that score. Hope this helps.

You'll appreciate this behavior when he's 16.

Seriously, my 2 1/2 year old is the same way, but I trained her to be that way. I have OCD and her watching me has got her into the cleaning habit. She had crackers on the floor and went to grab the broom to clean them up.

I know you are concerned because you do not want to raise an anal retentive child. Try getting dirty with your child and make fun out of it...then clean up. This teaches them that you can still enjoy being messy. Remember "Monkey see, Monkey do".

Nanc

hi,
My 21 month old does the same thing. I am not worried about it. She helps me clean the house and hopefully its teaching her to be clean!! If you are truly worried ask your ped, but i know several toddlers who do this!!
Good luck.
N.

My oldest son was obsessed with closing doors when he was littler. Now, at 8 years old, he has been known to even leave the refridgerator open. I think it's normal toddler behavior because they see what you do, and want things to be just the way they have learned they should be.

Hi A.,
I would talk with your pediatrician. If it really is OCD, there is nothing that you can do to "break" him of it, OCD is a neurological disorder and while there are therapies and medication, it is not a bad habit.
However, at this age, there are also other things that come into play. Kids learn things and then want to apply them, and dont realize that there are exceptions to the rule. If he knows you are supposed to throw a dirty diaper away, he may insist that you do it. If he knows that you're supposed to throw trash away and not leave it on the ground, this may be what prompts him to want to do this outside - but of course, you can't let him touch garbage. I'm not saying that I can guarantee that his behavior is normal and not OCD, only a doctor can do this and at under 2, he is likely too young for any type of screening.Good luck

A.
I believe it is normal and I also believe it is too early to know if it is OCD. One of my daughters was exactly the same way. If something dropped on her top or bottom she'd freak out until i completely changed her. This started before she turned 2. After verbalization from her part came into play I started using comfort words such as 'who cares if it is dirty, thank god mami has a washer and a dryer and I will wash it for you.' and she'd laugh. Now, at 4 years old, she doesn't freak out to the point she wants me to change her she just points out to the stain and I smile and say the same thing. so she is willing to continue wearing the thing until nighttime and after i change her into jammies she and i take a walk to the washer and put in the stained piece of clothing. what i am saying is her 'concern' has lessened.
child psychologist? way, way, way early, and actually it's something i never thought to take mine when this behavior started. I don't think it's OCD, I think stains are just bothersome. I am the same way, stains bother me.

Okay, this is probably going to be the wackiest response you'll get, but my daughter was about the same age and anytime we'd just run into the store w/out a carriage she would go right to the toilet paper & start stacking them neatly, then the napkins & diapers - I thought she was from another planet, or getting ready to be a stockgirl when she got older, but I remember just letting it go (and she still does it at 11 yrs old!) anyways, when I told our ped about it he asked her why she did it & she told us that she was making a fort - children all have different things they do, but I'm sure it may just be that he could be mocking what he see's you doing - & trust me, they move onto stranger things! just keep ur chin up!

I do not agree with alot of these Moms. Please don't rush him to a doctor to have someone slap a lable on him already. There isn't always a reason and solution to every little thing babies and children do. My daughter does the same thing,but with doors and lights. They all have to be closed and turned off before we leave. Yes we can leave if this is not done, but she is much happier when it is. If she's wearing a coat it has to be zipped and her hood up no matter what the temp. is outside.

We also acknowledge , jokingly, that our little guy has a touch of OCD. He doesn't like to touch or the feel of certain things -- sometimes it's soap suds, or play doh but other times he loves them both. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you believe it inhibits his enjoyment in everyday activities. If you concerned ask his pediatrician about it. I'm sure they can steer you in right direction.

Hopefully both of our kids are just clean :)

good luck

He is a clean kid and is learning that things belong in certain places. I assume he is watching you change the baby and wants to help. When he sees trash on the street tell him its germy and he cant pick it up. Otherwise enjoy that hes not a slob and come back here in 14 years when he is a messy teen and tell us about him. LOL

Oh my gosh - my family is constantly "joking" that my son has OCD and after reading your request and all the responses, I feel so much better! I keep telling everybody that he's going through a quirky todder stage, but sometimes I do wonder if they are right! Lol...

I have 18 month old twin boys and one of them is obsessed over pieces of lint, crumbs, etc on the floor. At an early age we taught them to give the "kaka" to mommy or daddy and thought it was great since they don't eat it like most children try to do. But now he is nuts over it. We went to a play gym and he walked around pointing to all the dirt on the floor and screaming. We went to the Dr office and he went crazy because there were leaves on the floor in the waiting room. I don't think it is OCD, I think it is toddler behavior. I am trying to teach him that it is okay. When he sees it and cries or points, I just say "it is okay".

Good Luck.

He is being a typical toddler. There is absolutely no reason to be concerned. All of my kids have exhibited the exact same things your son has at one time or aother and like most things it is a phase. Let him have this form of control in his life now. He is simply learning about his environment and looking for ways to control it.

When my kids refused the bib I just let them eat topless . . . it actually is quite nice not to have to wash bibs anymore!

So again, there is no reason to "break him." He is completely normal.

Completely normal. I was worried with my first son too. He would freak if I left a cabinet door open or a top off of the ketchup. At that age they LOVE routines and find comfort in them and by you breaking it (not putting the diaper in the trash like you usually do right away) it does freak them out. Also from their vantage point things on the floor are very close to them and they can spot them much more easily than we would. Don't worry, enjoy b/c soon enough you will be reminding them to throw things away and pick up their trash...lol : )
Good luck!
D.

Perfectly normal. My son is the same way. Give it some time to see if it lessens. I have no doubt that it will. Best of luck with your family!

Dear A.,

As others have said, 22 months is too young for an OCD diagnosis. More likely, your little guy has just figured out that there's a right way and a wrong way for things to be. This just sounds like a very healthy manifestation of the ongoing toddler project of trying to assert some kind of control over one's environment.

I really wanted to respond, though, to advise that you take advantage of this phase -- give him toys to put back, praise him when he does so, etc. It doesn't last forever! My now 2.5-yr-old son when through a super-neat phase shortly before he turned 2, and while I didn't complain, I didn't reinforce it anywhere near enough. My son now has zero interest in cleaning up after himself, and it's much harder to inculcate good habits in a child his age than in a younger toddler.

Best of luck, and enjoy your smart, clean little boy!

Mira

A.,

Do you or your husband do either of these things? It might be a simple case of - he sees it over and over, and has picked it up as a 'do not do this ever'.

If you think about it - a dirty diaper gets thrown away right away.

If you are concerned - I would check out an occupational therapist. (I think that's what the title is). Like a speech therapist for speech, this is for other things.

Check with the pediatrician. They'll know the title. if you feel it is a prob - get a 2nd opinion!

good luck,
wish I had more,
M.

Talk to a child psychologist. If it is true OCD, there is nothing you can do to "break" him of it, but behavioural therapy can help. I think this is a problem that should be addressed by a professional if that is what it is, which a doctor can also tell you.

My 2 year old was the same way and has grown out of it.