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ADHD & OCD
What does OCD look like in children and how can we spot when it overlaps with ADHD?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Professor Per Hove Thomsen, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and one of the world's leading experts on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in young people. Together, they explore what OCD actually is, how it affects family life, and why it sometimes occurs alongside ADHD. They discuss:
đź’ The 'Sticky Brain' of OCD, where distressing thoughts repeat uncontrollably despite an awareness they are absurd or irrational.Â
🧠How the term “OCD” is often misused casually - moving beyond the casual use of the term to understand how true obsessions and compulsions work, and how they differ from normal childhood rituals.
🙉 The “Pull-Yourself-Together” Myth: why people with OCD can't simply choose to stop listening to their thoughts. How the shameful, frightening, or taboo nature of these thoughts can make it hard for children to open up and can often cause families to keep the condition hidden.
🔍︎How to spot early signs of OCD in children, for example behaviour changes such as taking longer the bathroom washing their hands, or experiencing difficulty joining family meals due to food-related fears.
🤔Understanding OCD as “A Disorder of Doubt” - how a child’s inner experience of insecurity and fear drives their cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
🤝 The Surprising Overlap: exploring how 20% to 25% of people with OCD also meet the criteria for ADHD. Professor Thomsen explains how exhausting it is for children caught between rigid OCD patterns and the impulsive chaos of ADHD.
🌪️The Snowballing Brain: how the racing thoughts of an ADHD brain can interact with intrusive thoughts, causing fears to build up rapidly like a snowball getting bigger and bigger.
💬 Parental Support: How parents can encourage their children to share, and how to accept their children’s thoughts as symptoms of OCD, rather than actual desires, in order to reduce the “drama” and provide a safe space for their child to share.
This conversation is an educational and empathetic deep dive into a co-occurring condition that many parents have questions about, offering clarity and validation for families supporting complex minds.
Further resources and links:
- Find out more about Prof Per Hove Thomsen’s work here: https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/[email protected]/Â
- Read Remission and Relapse Across Three Years in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Following Evidence-Based Treatment: https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(23)02238-4/fulltext
- Read Family Accommodation in Pediatric Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Investigating Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in the NordLOTS Study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10578-023-01602-0
- Read Standard individual cognitive-behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368370693_Standard_individual_cognitive-behavioral_therapy_for_children_and_adolescents_with_pediatric_obsessive-compulsive_disorder
- Read the book:Â https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/edited-volume/9780323857574/handbook-of-lifespan-cognitive-behavioral-therapy
- Read the Chapter:Â https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780323857574000237
- Visit the Elsevier Online Shop:Â https://shop.elsevier.com/books/handbook-of-lifespan-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/martin/978-0-323-85757-4
ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com
Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD
The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.
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By Claire Quigley WardWhat does OCD look like in children and how can we spot when it overlaps with ADHD?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Professor Per Hove Thomsen, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and one of the world's leading experts on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in young people. Together, they explore what OCD actually is, how it affects family life, and why it sometimes occurs alongside ADHD. They discuss:
đź’ The 'Sticky Brain' of OCD, where distressing thoughts repeat uncontrollably despite an awareness they are absurd or irrational.Â
🧠How the term “OCD” is often misused casually - moving beyond the casual use of the term to understand how true obsessions and compulsions work, and how they differ from normal childhood rituals.
🙉 The “Pull-Yourself-Together” Myth: why people with OCD can't simply choose to stop listening to their thoughts. How the shameful, frightening, or taboo nature of these thoughts can make it hard for children to open up and can often cause families to keep the condition hidden.
🔍︎How to spot early signs of OCD in children, for example behaviour changes such as taking longer the bathroom washing their hands, or experiencing difficulty joining family meals due to food-related fears.
🤔Understanding OCD as “A Disorder of Doubt” - how a child’s inner experience of insecurity and fear drives their cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
🤝 The Surprising Overlap: exploring how 20% to 25% of people with OCD also meet the criteria for ADHD. Professor Thomsen explains how exhausting it is for children caught between rigid OCD patterns and the impulsive chaos of ADHD.
🌪️The Snowballing Brain: how the racing thoughts of an ADHD brain can interact with intrusive thoughts, causing fears to build up rapidly like a snowball getting bigger and bigger.
💬 Parental Support: How parents can encourage their children to share, and how to accept their children’s thoughts as symptoms of OCD, rather than actual desires, in order to reduce the “drama” and provide a safe space for their child to share.
This conversation is an educational and empathetic deep dive into a co-occurring condition that many parents have questions about, offering clarity and validation for families supporting complex minds.
Further resources and links:
- Find out more about Prof Per Hove Thomsen’s work here: https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/[email protected]/Â
- Read Remission and Relapse Across Three Years in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Following Evidence-Based Treatment: https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(23)02238-4/fulltext
- Read Family Accommodation in Pediatric Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Investigating Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in the NordLOTS Study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10578-023-01602-0
- Read Standard individual cognitive-behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368370693_Standard_individual_cognitive-behavioral_therapy_for_children_and_adolescents_with_pediatric_obsessive-compulsive_disorder
- Read the book:Â https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/edited-volume/9780323857574/handbook-of-lifespan-cognitive-behavioral-therapy
- Read the Chapter:Â https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780323857574000237
- Visit the Elsevier Online Shop:Â https://shop.elsevier.com/books/handbook-of-lifespan-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/martin/978-0-323-85757-4
ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com
Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD
The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.