Resources Focus on How to Help Children Who Have Intrusive Thoughts
Children might sometimes have what are known as intrusive thoughts - or, disturbing ideas or images that can come out of nowhere and be confusing or upsetting.
Such random thoughts usually don’t mean anything, but they can produce other fears, the Child Mind Institute writes in a new series of resources.
Learn More
Children might worry why they are having awful thoughts and wonder where they came from or what it means about them. They may ask for reassurance and the more attention they give the intrusive thought, the harder it might be to get rid of.
The Child Mind Institute’s resources focus on how to respond when children are upset by intrusive thoughts and when they might be evidence of OCD or some other mental health challenge.
One article explores what OCD looks like in children, who can start to develop it around age 8. There are also articles on other things that can bother children who are prone to anxiety, such as fear of going to the doctor, thoughts they are ashamed of, and the fear of vomiting, which can develop into an intense phobia.
Since children often turn to parents when they have anxiety, the institute offers tips on how to support a worried child without unintentionally reinforcing their anxiety.
The Child Mind Institute’s resources include: