Health Tip: Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an illness that causes people to obsess over daily activities. While everyone has daily habits and behaviors, when they interfere with daily life, it's a possible warning sign of OCD.
The American Academy of Family Physicians lists these potential examples of OCD:
* Obsessing over whether things are done in order or correctly, in an exact fashion.
* Being unusually afraid of dirt or germs, and as a result, repeatedly engaging in activities such as washing the hands or showering.
* Constantly and repeatedly checking on a situation, such as making sure the home's doors are locked or appliances are shut off.
* Thinking about specific sounds, images, words or numbers repeatedly.
* Seeking constant reassurance or approval.
Health Tip: Taming a Temper Tantrum
Temper tantrums are a child's means of expressing anger at an age where they haven't learned or adopted other coping methods.
The C.S. Mott Children's Hospital offers these suggestions to help manage your child's temper tantrums:
* If the tantrum is triggered by frustration, offer support, encouragement, and help with what's frustrating the child.
* If the tantrum appears to be a way to get attention or to get the child's way, try to ignore it. Never give in to the child's demands when expressed this way.
* Try to anticipate and avoid a tantrum by giving the child a five-minute warning. If the child doesn't end up where you want the child to be, physically carry the child there.
* If the child becomes extremely loud or violent, send the child to his or her bedroom for a two-to-five-minute timeout.
* If your child seems out of control or could cause self-injury, hold the child for about one to three minutes until you feel the child's body begin to relax.
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