wHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD for our teens who have OCD?

[Guest guest]

My only child is a son,now 14 y.o. I am a social worker; I used to work

w/children, then in an inpt. psych. unit which I loved. The stress,

though, of both home and work wasn't good, so I switched to a more

flexible job nearby. My son D. started out w/ P.A.N.D.A.S. at age 8

1/2;before this, he was a very happy kid. This morphed into full blown

OCD 2 yrs. ago, we're now into yr. 3. It's brutal, starting high

school in 9th grade, watching him suffer. He has lots of supports, a

Spec. Ed. program in the high school for kids w/anxiety disorders,

mainstreamed for several classes; he has a crackerjack therapist and

psychiatrtist. He has friends, interests, is extremely bright, is

athletic. But OCD robs him of his strengths, his personality- I am

frigthened for his future. Can he use that intellect to do what he

wants to do (be a scientist, lawyer or doctor)? The gifts, well, he

has these, but emotionally, if transitions to school every yr. set off

OCD, then get set of at the end of yr. w/ exams, will he ever be able

to be self-sufficient? Function on his own? Let alone, in a demanding

career?