Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am so glad to have found this group. My daughter (who turned 3 in December)

has exhibited compulsive behaviors for probably at least a year (ranging from

rituals such as needing to give hugs, kisses, and repeated patterns of high-5's

before bed or before anyone leaves the house, to needing to undo and redo things

that upset her). Within the last week, this has escalated into violent tantrums.

She is a very verbal and very physically affectionate child, but in these

moments I could not break through to her--could not physically or verbally

comfort her.Until this happened, I had not worried to much about the

compulsions--something I have dealt with myself in a very mild form. The recent

behaviors, though, took us to our pediatrician, who was amazingly generous with

her time, expressed concern, and is working on a referal to a psychiatrist. I'm

feeling a mixture of relief that we were taken seriously and can get help, guilt

that I didn't seek help

earlier, and fear now that it has suddenly become real.

 

I'm going to start digging into old group files, but I would love to hear from

others--especially anyone whose child has faced this struggle at so early an

age. I'd also love to hear from anyone who might be in the Indianapolis area or

have knowledge about specialists there. We are in Bloomington, but our

pediatrician thinks we will need to seek someone out at Riley Children's

Hospital because Eleanor is so young. Eleanor is the youngest of my three girls

(the others are 13 and 6), and I would also love to hear about how others have

worked on family dynamics--something we are already struggling with as Eleanor's

behaviors impact the other girls.

 

Thank you for listening,

 

Greta