Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Children with mental health illness’s have recieved insufficent attention particuarly in the the domains of research, practice and funding within health care services. Nevertheless, there has been an greater emphasis placed on psychosocial and pharamogolical treatments that are tailored to children rather than a extension of adult mental health practices (Pyle, Jordan, and Saklofkse, 2009). As many childhood disorders were once believed to to dissipate as children aged, it is essential to acknowledge that these disorders, actually have a large effect on future development (Fichter, Kohlboeck, Quadflieg, Wyschkon and Esser, 2009). As such, knowing the development and stability of psychopathology from childhood into adolesnce provides important infformation for the prevention and treatment of mental health illnesses.
Obsessive Compulsive disorder in middle childhood, commonly referred to as pediatric obsessive comulsive disorder (OCD) has been found to be the most common mental health illnesess of childhood. It was once considered to be rather uncommon among children but recent data indicates prevalance rates between 0.5% and 2% It is a persistent, impairing disorder that creates serious long-term risk for children who are affected (Peris and Piacentini, 2014). Previous research has found that when assessing OCD the defintions for age of onset varies however, for OCD in middle childhood the age of onset has been found to range from 7 to 10 years of age ( Anholt et al. 2014). For children with OCD it is of utomost importance that an assessment is completed in a timely and accurate manner. An assessment of present symptoms is esential to identify the severity of their presenation, recommend possible treatments, and monitor the ...

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...with exposure and response prevention. Neuropsychiatry, 2(4), 291-300. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/npy.12.38

Peris, T. S., & Piacentini, J. (2014). Addressing barriers to change in the treatment of childhood obsessive compulsive disorder. Journal of Rational - Emotive & Cognitive - Behavior Therapy, 32(1), 31-43. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0183-6
Pyle, N., Jordan, J., & Saklofske, D. H. (2009). Childhood mental health disorders: Evidence base and contextual factors for psychosocial, psychopharmacological, and combined interventions. Canadian Psychology, 50(1), 49-50. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/220820260?accountid=14068
Stewart, S. E., Hezel, D., & Stachon, A. C. (2012). Assessment and medication management of paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Drugs, 72(7), 881-93. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2165/11632860-000000000-00000