Lucknow’s KGMU announces special OCD-screening clinic for school kids

King George's Medical University (KGMU) is offering a special clinic for screening obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in school-going children during vacations. The department runs the child and adolescent clinic on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. OCD is a mental health condition that results in repetitive thoughts and actions known as obsessions and compulsions. Dr Pooja Mahour, additional professor of child psychology, dept of psychiatry, KGMU suggests that parents approach the regular OPD if they find any symptoms in their child.

Parents can visit a special clinic at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) if their child suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

For representation only (HT File Photo)

“Since it is school vacation time, we have a special slot for screening of OCD in school-going children at our child and adolescent clinic. Even after vacations, one can approach in regular OPD if they find any symptoms in their child,” said Dr Pooja Mahour, additional professor of child psychology, dept of psychiatry, KGMU.

The department runs the child and adolescent clinic on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Sharing symptoms of OCD among children, Dr Mahour said OCD is a mental health condition defined by repetitive thoughts and actions, thoughts such as cleanliness, symmetry, getting harmed, or harming others, known as obsessions. To alleviate the resultant anxiety, they indulge in repetitive and stressful actions known as compulsions, these may look like excessive hand-washing, checking, counting, or arranging things in a certain order.

Dr Mahour has special interest in non-pharmacological treatment for OCD, especially in the child and adolescent age group.

Giving a case example, Dr Mahour said, a 14-year-old boy was following his daily rituals of repeating the numbers 3,6,9,12 before his mother steps out of the house, repeated hand-washing and checking locks, gas knobs etc. The boy was driven by constant fear that if he didn’t do this, his mother would meet with an accident. Stories of such distress and everyday struggles are not a rare phenomenon, she said.

“A survey conducted by the Indian Psychiatric Society suggested the prevalence of OCD is 2 to 3% across age groups,” said Dr Mahour.