OCD or normal toddler?

He walks into a room and all fans must be turned on immediately. (Anybody's house he goes to.)

When he leaves the house, he must wait til all fans are completely stopped. (Same thing for going to bed.)

If one fan is broken (say in the Walmart fan section, he completely freaks out, begging for it to be turned on.)

Everything must be done in a specific routine. (For instance, when he wakes up: He tells you 'Light' (and will keep repeating it til you turn it off.) Then says 'Blinds' (and keeps going til you open them.) and then ends with 'Diaper' til you change him.

He keeps repeating himself. In fact, he literally sounds like Rainman now.

Are you all dealing with this too? It's so hard to explain because it's not just about fans and lights. Its EVERYTHING now. I'm using fans as just one example.

He's 23 months.

Message edited 7/14/2009 3:10:18 PM.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I can understnd your concern. I would take him to your pediatrician.




Good luck

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Sounds like my son.

Does he line toys up in a row? (ie - all his cars, all his dinosaurs, etc...)

If so, it seems normal.

If DS's shoes come undone, he goes nuts. If his pants are too long, his sleeves too long, the sock shifts...

DD used to do all this and more. NOW she's a complete slob and could care less.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I dont have any experiance with this but to me it does sound like OCD.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Josh doesn't do any of this. Josh is also lazy though

Other then pleaing with me each night not to wash his hair, he really doesn't give thought to much.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

K- I would talk to the PED. I am not sure this is not just a phase. It takes more than just a fascination. If you are concerned you could always call EI for an eval.

I would not worry just yet. Just start taking notes on patterns, etc...

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I'd speak to your ped and get his/her feedback on it.

It is such a tough call bc I do think part of being a toddler is creating their own order and way of doing things...

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

if you tell him, no thanks, I don't want that fan on...what does he do?

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Posted by LittleWonders


Sounds like my son.

Does he line toys up in a row? (ie - all his cars, all his dinosaurs, etc...)

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

DS, who is 3, has similar habits. He MUST have things a certain way or to him, the world is ending. It is VERY frustrating.

I would mention this to your pediatrician. DS receives services for speech in a school, and OT was recently added because of his OCDish tendencies... NOT that I am saying that your DS needs this, as they pick everything DS does apart because of his delays, but it's worth bringing to your doctors attention.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

DD is 20 months. She will repeat herself a lot if she wants something ex: juice, bottle. She's okay if routine is broken, however. If you are concerned, mention it to your ped.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I would mention to ped...see what he says.

I am curious to know if you should give in or not.

the boy I watched had definite OCD. his parents gave in all the time, I rarely did.

The kid has hat obsessed, I would not let him wear it while he was eating or to bed. He was fine with those rules...but at home he wore it all the time, bath and bed!

little by little we would "forget" it in the car when going to park. he looked for it, then was fine.

but at home he threw tantrums over it all the time.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I would probably discuss it with the ped.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Honestly, I'd be a little concerned, especially since you mentioned that he lines up his toys...repetetive behavior is definitely something that should be brought up to your pediatrician.

Message edited 7/14/2009 4:21:10 PM.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Posted by waterspout4

Posted by LittleWonders


Sounds like my son.

Does he line toys up in a row? (ie - all his cars, all his dinosaurs, etc...)

YES!!!!!! His play doh cans must be lined up in a row.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Hmmmmm...I'm not really sure...its hard to tell from just an isolated example like this - My DS is about the same age as yours and I will say that he is VERY aware of his routine and likes to do the things the way they are normally done - I did read in one of my bks (maybe what to expect toddler years?) that this is pretty normal - that many toddlers like the "ritual" and don't like change - but, my DS doesn't get that upset when things deviate but he DOES point them out to you. Like we have the same routine for nap time and bedtime every day. now, if i am rushing and skip the story after his juice and b/f I put him down he will say "MOMMY READ THE STORY" and he gets VERY happy when I say - oh you are right ok. Same thing with the rest of his routine - like we say goodnight to everything in his room - if i skip something he normally says goodnight to - he will point it out to me - so yes, in some ways DS is VERY attaches to his routine and does exhibit some other ocd behaviors as well like with his puzzles - he HATES when a piece is missing and makes me look for it. or with his socks they need to be fixed a certain way or his "feet hurt" So anyway, i guess my point is i think some ocd is normal from what i've read but, im not sure about the whole fan thing...

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

i would def talk to the pediatrician.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

my son also LOVES fans, we def have to turn them on when we get home, but if one's off we just tell him its broken and he goes about his business. Same at a restaurant or someones house..if they dont want to turn it on, we just use the broken excuse LOL(and yes then we get from him a couple more times, is it broken mama? ). I think they all go through phases, when he was younger DS loved lights and constantly with lights on and lights off, then he got over it. I have some OCD and I wondered if he has it minimally too just b/c of the light and fan thing, but from talking with other friends of mine, their children were the same with lights, fans, water, etc. I think when it starts to interfere with their everyday routine then that's a concern. My DS eats, sleeps, naps, plays, is a happy kid, goes about his business. If you are concerned def talk to your Ped esp b/c you said he's so into his routine and seems to have some trouble transitioning. Maybe your doctor will have some suggestions to break it

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I don't know if its normal or not. DS has some routines. When we left the house he had to touch the wheel of the car. We were concerned but then he stopped doing it around his last dr's appointment. Now he has to run to the sidewalk every time we leave. He is very into his bedtime routine too.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

Thanks everybody!

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I agree with a pp, if his need for certain things to be in a certain place or for certain things to happen gets in the way of other things, it may be an OCD. If he can go on about his business with minimal fussing though when he doesn't get what he wants, he's probably fine. But if you are worried, mention it to your pediatrician. If nothing is wrong, he or she will probably set your mind at ease more than we can.

My ped. said most toddlers have a touch of OCD behavior from time to time. I forget what I mentioned to her. DS gets a bit obsessed with some things, then he drops them. He used to touch all the car wheels too, and there was a time when he had to walk and see a camper a couple blocks near us. Now he can skip the camper. He loves fans too, though if I turn it off, he doesn't get very upset.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I would discuss it with your ped. I do not think it is OCD and I do happen to be very well read about OCD. However, if it is, you have to remember that OCD can wax and wane and that very few people have it as severely as the ones they feature in documentaries.

Re: OCD or normal toddler?

I am dealing with some early OCD type tendencies....DS is the same with routine and doing things in a certain way.

But his thing more is that if he associates an item with a specific location he cannot rest until its in that location....that could be the dinner rolls, his shoes, or the cookies at my ILs....

My husband is mild OCD so I kinda expected this...

But I do think alot of it is normal toddler stuff...I think they are just really comforable in their routine and what things THAT way. WIth the fan part of it might be testing you to see what you will do...

Either way GL and let us know how he continues!