Helping Kids with Just Right OCD
About this episode
This episode explores 'just right' OCD in children, its manifestations, and strategies for parents to help their kids break free from these patterns.
“Just right” OCD can be one of the most confusing forms of OCD for parents, because it doesn’t look like fear. In this episode, we’re unpacking what it means when OCD is driven by a feeling instead of a specific fear. That internal sense that something is off, incomplete, or not quite right can keep kids stuck in loops that are hard to explain and even harder to stop. You’ll learn how “just right” OCD can show up across daily life, from words and writing to clothes, shoes, grooming, and even how they move through their environment. We’ll also clarify common misconceptions, including why this isn’t perfectionism, how it differs from sensory processing challenges, and where Tourettic OCD fits into the picture. Most importantly, we’ll walk through how to start helping your child break free from these patterns using evidence-based approaches like ERP, including practicing things “not just right,” delaying compulsions, and resisting the urge to complete the loop for them. We’ll also touch on how parents can use a SPACE-informed approach to reduce accommodation and support their child more effectively. If your child gets stuck needing things to feel right before they can move on, this…
More episodes of AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety
- Is Your Child’s “Defiance” Actually Caused by OCD?
- Things Parents Often Miss in Kids with Contamination OCD
- When Parents Become the “OCD Police” (And What to Do Instead)
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