Seriously, my child is giving me a complex...

sharksfan

for mobile users:  my child is giving me a complex...

 

So I know OCD is a real disorder and not something to take lightly or be joked about, but I don't know how else to describe R's behavior but toddler OCD.  The kid freaks out if there is a speck of dirt or trash in his path.  We'll walk down the hall of our condo complex, and he will stop in his tracks if there is a piece of dirt, leaf, paper, you name it that doesn't belong.  He'll grunt and point at it and refuses to move until we pick it up.  I took him to the park yesterday and he made me pick up more than 30-40 leaves that were in the tan bark before I finally just picked him up and brought him home.  I've been shedding like crazy lately, and my hair is everywhere.  If I'm giving him a bath and one of my hairs is on the side of the tub, he freaks out-points at it and screams until I get rid of it.  First, I'm starting to get worried that this is the start of something real that he'll have with him forever.  And second, I'm starting to get a complex about the cleanliness of my place.  He keeps pointing out all of the dirt specks in our house.  I swear I clean, it just isn't enough for this child!  Someone tell me this is a normal toddler phase that you're also experiencing?!

Ms.Jade

My friend has a little one who did this around the age our kids are now. She's 2.5 now and as far as I know doesn't do it anymore. So there's hope. Sorry I don't have anything else to offer.

Chunstad

C does this, but no where near as far as R is doing it.  He only does it once or twice.  Maybe this is something to bring up to the Pedi?

sharksfan

Woodsie:

My nephew went through a phase when he'd freak if there was any dirt on himself. If he got anything on his hands, he wouldn't do anything until they were washed. It made finger foods difficult. He got over it though and is completely normal about it now.

I would ask your pedi about it though, if only for peace of mind.

Yeah, maybe I will write my pedi.  Now that you mention the hands, he's got issues with dirty hands, too.  At Christmas, his day care did cards for parents with a poem about handprints inside, and the outside had your LO's handprint.  But, R wouldn't let them put paint on his hand, so his has a footprint.  Pretty funny.  When he's eating, he'll hold his hand up to me if he gets sauce or anything on it and refuses to take another bite until I wipe his hands clean.  On a lighter side to this aspect of him, his teenage years will be great if this keeps up-he'll do all the house cleaning for me! 

Nita2603

Alastair does that too to an extend. It worries me because his dad has OCD. Mildly, but enough to have been in therapy at some point and to make me wonder.

cantalopes24

E was like that. He would line his food up by size or color. He cried and refused to touch his smash cake on his first birthday. He is OBSESSED with hand sanitizer. He's not as bad now but part of the issue we had with getting him to eat was if food didnt look a particular way he wouldn't eat it, like if I cut the tip off pizza or a granola bar broke. Meltdown City. It's gotten better but he's still a neat freak and super organized.

BeesMomma00

B does this too.  She also has trouble playing outside because of leaves, dirt and ANTS!

Definitely washes her hands often too.

katecham

sharksfan:

for mobile users: nbsp;my child is giving me a complex...nbsp;So I know OCD is a real disorder and not something to take lightly or be joked about, but I don't know how else to describe R's behavior but toddler OCD. nbsp;The kid freaks out if there is a speck of dirt or trash in his path. nbsp;We'll walk down the hall of our condo complex, and he will stop in his tracks if there is a piece of dirt, leaf, paper, you name it that doesn't belong. nbsp;He'll grunt and point at it and refuses to move until we pick it up. nbsp;I took him to the park yesterday and he made me pick up more than 3040 leaves that were in the tan bark before I finally just picked him up and brought him home. nbsp;I've been shedding like crazy lately, and my hair is everywhere. nbsp;If I'm giving him a bath and one of my hairs is on the side of the tub, he freaks outpoints at it and screams until I get rid of it. nbsp;First, I'm starting to get worried that this is the start of something real that he'll have with him forever. nbsp;And second, I'm starting to get a complex about the cleanliness of my place. nbsp;He keeps pointing out all of the dirt specks in our house. nbsp;I swear I clean, it just isn't enough for this child! nbsp;Someone tell me this is a normal toddler phase that you're also experiencing?!

This is my kid. He is OCD about strings on his shirt, his cup not Inge in the right spot on his high chair tray, his shoes being dirty, trash/specks of stuff on the floor inside and outside, bath toys lined up incorrectly, HATES having dirty or sticky hands, etc. it is ridiculous. Both DH and I do the same thing, so it isn't too surprising, but I was hoping he would not inherit the crazy from us.

katecham

Woodsie:

T has a similar issue about food looking a certain way. He loves mini breton crackers, but will not touch one if it's broken or even has a little bit chipped off the side.

I put cheese on DS's spaghetti last night and he was piissed. He doesn't like his food to touch either, at least most of the time.