Hello..help needed please!

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My name is Nat and I am mum to 3 boys under 5. I think my eldest son

has OCD but am waiting to be referred to find out for sure.

He is 4 and the form his OCD takes (if it is OCD)is verbal rituals.

He starts these before bed at night and then wakes 4 or 5 times a

night to say them again. His dad and I have to respond in exactly

the right way to these rituals....one wrong word, one word said in

the wrong tone, one cough and the whole thing must begin again. If

he does not get to say " his words " he becomes totally hysterical and

the fear in his eyes breaks my heart. I so much want to take this

away from him and make it better!

The problem is that our whole family is now exhausted because of

this. Ben wakes the whole house when he wakes to " do his words "

because he wakes in a state and has to say them all as soon as

possible. I have asked what he thinks will happen if he doesn't say

them and he said he thought I would " be dead " . How do you explain to

a 4 year old that he does not have quite that much influence on the

world? I have tried talking to him about it but it has not made a

difference. Any advice on how to handle the rituals until we get to

see someone would be much appreciated! Thanks.....Nat