One day he was a happy, well-adjusted 7-year-old, then suddenly, it seemed, he couldn't stop washing his hands. Nine or ten scrubbings and he still couldn't shake the feeling of being dirty. Then there were his visits to the library. As he left, he was always convinced he'd taken something without checking it out, though he couldn't think what. It was just a nagging feeling that wouldn't go away. "Jason" had somehow developed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Childhood infections, broken bones, schoolyard bullies - parents are more than ready for these. But a diagnosis of mental illness can catch even the most vigilant parents off guard. We know so little about what causes these illnesses, and still less about how to treat them. Yet more than one in three of our children will struggle with the likes of anxiety or depression, obsessive compulsive thoughts or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during their childhood.
展开▼
