OCD in Children, Pasadena, CA
Obsessive‒compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that causes people to have repetitive behaviors, intrusive thoughts, and obsessive thoughts that impact their ability to live their day‒to‒day lives.
At Vital Brain Health, we provide support that can help children improve their OCD symptoms and other mental health conditions. We can help your child without the need for excessive medication or invasive surgeries. When we provide support for OCD, we help kids learn strategies to retrain their brains and improve unwanted behaviors.
What is OCD in Children?
OCD is a mental health condition that causes a child to develop intrusive and recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviors. Many of these behaviors revolve around fears that interrupt their ability to function as other children their age. The need to perform their compulsions to manage their fears often leaves OCD children inflexible in their routines and how they socialize.
At Vital Brain Health, we are dedicated to providing support for OCD with our excellent and innovative techniques. Our processes are backed by the latest in neuroscience and are used in individualized support plans.
If your child is struggling with OCD, schedule an appointment today. Our staff is ready to work with you to support your child.
Common Risk Factors Associated with OCD
Currently, the cause of OCD is unknown. Researchers have indicated that there are three possible links to OCD in children. The three current risk factors that may contribute to the development of OCD in children are:
Family History
Families with a history of OCD are more likely to see other members of the family develop the condition as they grow.
Infection
Current research suggests that strep throat may trigger severe and sudden onset of OCD in some children while increasing the severity of OCD in others.
Imbalance of Brain Chemicals
Some research suggests a link between low levels of serotonin and the development of OCD.
What symptoms are associated with OCD?
Symptoms of OCD can vary in type and severity. Some obsessive‒compulsive disorder symptoms that benefit from an evaluation at Vital Brain Health include:
- An extreme preoccupation with dirt and germs
- Repeated intrusive "what‒if" scenarios
- Spending long periods touching things, counting, or thinking about numbers
- Fixation on order or symmetry
- An extreme need to know or remember seemingly trivial information
- Excessive attention to detail
- Following rigid rules
What are the Support Options for OCD?
Vital Brain Health offers different types of support, each serving a different purpose. Some of the support options you may be recommended include:
Frequently Asked Questions
How can neurofeedback help with OCD?
Yes, we provide advanced support for children with OCD using Neurofeedback 3.0 integrated multi-modal training protocols specifically designed for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder and executive function challenges. Our approach helps optimize brain networks responsible for controlling the impulses and fears common in people with OCD. We serve both children and adults with OCD using research-based protocols that target the specific brain communication patterns to help them improve their ability to function.
How does neurofeedback work?
Neurofeedback works by helping your brain's different "rooms" communicate more effectively through their shared frequency channels—like ensuring walkie-talkies are tuned to the same channel so they can work together. We use advanced EEG sensors to monitor how well your brain's rooms are coordinating, then provide real-time visual feedback when they achieve optimal synchronization. As the rooms get rewarded for tuning to the same channel, they trigger new nerve connections that grow during sleep, allowing them to stay in tune longer and better the next time. This process harnesses neuroplasticity—your brain's ability to rewire itself—creating lasting improvements in attention, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance.
What triggers OCD in a child?
A typical Neurofeedback 3.0 session at Vital Brain Health lasts 15-30 minutes and offers a uniquely engaging experience. In our office, you'll relax in zero gravity chairs while your brain controls how clear your favorite shows appear on 70-inch TVs. For home training, you'll use our custom cap with gold-plated sensors connected to your phone or tablet. Our extremely effective forms of neurofeedback require shorter sessions than weaker training methods, maximizing your results in minimal time.
References
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pp. 1-10.
Gruzelier, John H. "EEG-Neurofeedback for Optimising Performance. I: A Review of Cognitive
and Affective Outcome in Healthy Participants." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, vol. 44,
2014, pp. 124-141.
Ros, Tomas, et al. "Consensus on the Reporting and Experimental Design of
Clinical and Cognitive-Behavioural Neurofeedback Studies (CRED-nf Checklist)." Brain, vol.
143, no. 6, 2020, pp. 1674-1685.
Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur, et al. "Electroencephalographic Neurofeedback: Level of
Evidence in Mental and Brain Disorders and Suggestions for Good Clinical Practice."
Neurophysiologie Clinique, vol. 45, no. 6, 2015, pp. 423-433.
Escolano, Carlos, et al. "EEG-Based Upper-Alpha Neurofeedback Training
Improves Working Memory Performance." Proceedings of the Annual International Conference
of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2014, pp. 2327-2330.
Vernon, David J. "Can Neurofeedback Training Enhance Performance? An Evaluation of the
Evidence with Implications for Future Research." Applied Psychology, vol. 54, no. 3, 2005, pp.
385-404.
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