Early treatment can cure compulsive handwashing

OCD in childhood or adolescence often becomes chronic and impairs mental health onward into adulthood.Other common types are compulsive repetitive behaviour and checking, and obsessive thoughts of an aggressive type.Susanne Walitza, professor in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, and colleagues point out that OCD can be diagnosed early with psycho-diagnostic techniques.Behavioural therapeutic methods have been found effective and are accordingly considered first-line treatment, according to a statement from the university.The study authors state that even after a course of intensive treatment, patients still need psychotherapy or combination therapy to prevent a later recurrence.Conditions associated with OCD such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder are also present in more than 70 percent of patients. It is often diagnosed too late in children and adolescents.