Hi, I need help with essay on Cognitive-behavioural therapy in young children with obsessive compulsive disorder. Paper must be at least 2500 words. Please, no plagiarized work!Download file to see pr

Hi, I need help with essay on Cognitive-behavioural therapy in young children with obsessive compulsive disorder. Paper must be at least 2500 words. Please, no plagiarized work!

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the distressing psychological conditions that can manifest at an age as early as 4. OCD in childhood is a chronic and distressing condition. The lifetime prevalence is 2- 3 percent (Piacentini and Bergman 1181). Estimates of point prevalence indicate that at any given moment of time, 0.5-1 percent of population falling into pediatric category suffers from this condition (Freeman 337). Many children develop impairment of social, family and academic functioning. In addition to these problems, many of them have comorbid conditions like depression, anxiety and other illnesses. Infact, some studies have reported that 75- 84 percent of children suffering from OCD have comorbid disorders (Freeman 337). Traditionally, this condition was neglected, especially in children. However recent recognition of the condition has led to enhanced understanding of various treatment modalities (Piacentini and Bergman, 1181). Comorbidity with anxiety disorders and depression is common even in children and it is very important to identify these condition and also treat then, failing to do which can influence treatment and outcomes negatively (Piacentini and Bergman, 1182). The most well-tolerated treatments for OCD in children are serotonin-reuptake inhibitors SSRI and CBT (Piacentini and Bergman, 1181). Early onset OCD has some unique features which are different from adult-onset or adolescent OCD, having some implications for treatment too (Freeman et al, 71). The phenomenology is consistent across all age spans, however, traditional adult CT approaches have been modified to accommodate developmental differences which exist. In this research article, critical review of CBT in young children with OCD will be done through review of suitable literature. Critical review OCD that manifests in early childhood can be pernicious in nature and can cause severe functional impairment and derailment of normal development. Early onset OCD coincides with the beginning of formal education and difficulties related to OCD during this period can have a devastating consequence on relationships with peers and academic performance (Freeman 337). Thus, it warranted to provide early and frequent intervention to facilitate development of coping skills and also to minimize the anxiety levels of the child that many interfere with learning. There is actually not much research pertaining to treatment of OCD in this age group. Because of this, it is very important to take into account the type of treatment that is most appropriate for children who are young. According to Expert Consensus Guidelines and AACAP, the beginning treatment for all children with OCD must be either CBT alone, or a combination of CBT and SSRI drug, depending of the severity of symptoms and comorbid conditions (Freeman 338). Though SSRI drugs have good outcomes for OCD symptoms, very few drugs have been approved by FDA for use in children less than 8 years of age. Also, the rates of adverse drug reactions and variables of duration of treatment and moderators are poorly understood. For these reasons, CBT, rather than pharmacotherapy or a combination of pharmacotherapy and CBT has been treatment of choice in younger children with OCD (Freeman 338). Research pertaining to CBT in children with OCD had been done only since few years. On review of literature pertaining to CBT in children with OCD, Freeman (p.339) identified 3 major gaps with reference to CBT for OCD in young children. One is the age of participants, the next is the role of SRI in the context of CBT and the third is the use of family-based CBT for therapy. With regard to age, Freeman (p.339) opined that there are actually no studies that have specifically studied CBT for application in children less than 7 years of age. Infact most studies have focused on age groups 7- 18 years.