My two-year-old grandson does the strangest thing. Books, toy cars, food, books, blocks (anything else he can find)..he lines up in straight lines. All items must be the same size or he discards them. Colin gets upset if someone messes up his hard work. He is very thorough in the process. Items are next to each other, facing the same way -- all in a straight line. If he runs out of room, he will start another row. It is amazing how he does this. But I am leaning towards the thought that he might be developing a compulsive/obsessive behavior disorder. Please respond.
Thx,
2006-07-27 12:02:37 · 34 answers · asked by dlcobb2000 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
I agree with you. Sounds like he is getting OCD. Get him to a therapist to get a diagnosis. Then you must get him treatment now before it gets out of hand. That is one of the hardest conditions to have because it drives them crazy to feel like things have to be a certain way. He may even be stressed. If you can get a handle on it now, you may stop it before it gets worse. please seek help for him, he really truly does need it.
2006-07-27 12:07:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your very lucky. You have a very bright grandson. His OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) while a bit strange at this age is actually a sign of intelligence. Some scholars might disagree but research studies have found that most people with OCD's have a higher intelligence than those without one.
However, the higher intelligence doesn't mean a thing if the person cannot control their OCD. What you can do is teach him to overcome his OCD. There are no sure-fire methods to use other than to teach him to ignore it. Teaching him to overcome his OCD will be like teaching an alcoholic to stay sober. It will take time, persistence and support.
You're actually pretty lucky and I hope I may have been of some assistance.
2006-07-29 20:52:24 · answer #2 · answered by nmk9543 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is 2 1/2 years and she does the samething. She doesn't go the the extreme of the objects have to be the same size. She has some animal figures and she will get them out and line them up in a straight line and spaced perfectly apart. I don't know if it's something to worry about. I think as he gets older if it starts to get worse talk with a doctor.
2006-07-31 05:31:30 · answer #3 · answered by belle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like some of the others, I think it is just his little brain trying to catagorize things.
My daughter has very mild OCD and when her doc and I were trying to figure out her condition, he told me the major telltale sign of OCD is handwashing/issue with hands being unclean.
He also said that if her compulsion interfered with her daily life, like she could not physically walk away from something messy without cleaning it, regardless if there was something else she was supposed to be doing, then there was a problem.
So, this is harder at toddler age. Here is my suggestion. When he is in his arranging mood, offer him a special treat he likes, a cookie or something. If arranging the cars is more important than a special treat, you may have a problem on your hand.
2006-07-27 16:40:20 · answer #4 · answered by KD 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You aren't alone. My son does this too. He has been doing it since he was about 2. He is now 3. I have wondered if he has a touch of OCD tendencies.
I have noticed it a lot with his cars. He will line them all up in a straight line and I will throw in a couple boats or planes and he takes them out. "They don't go together" he tells me.
He makes walls with his blocks and boy can he stack them really high. If you put a block on top and that is the only block on top he takes it off. He does odd stuff with all his toys.
I hope it is normal as I haven't talked to anyone about it. Just so you know you aren't the only one out there dealing with this.
Good Luck to you.
2006-07-27 12:11:22 · answer #5 · answered by couriousk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This to him might be a game he likes to play. My daughter does something similar to this she like to match everything up in pairs. She first did this last year at Halloween. She was 10 months old then. She would reach into her basket and pair everything up. By the same brand candy bar to the same colored sucker. Sometimes she will go behind me and move something. For ex. if i clean the coffee table off and lay a book on it she might move it an inch or two over. I dont think it is anything to get upset about.
2006-07-27 12:09:58 · answer #6 · answered by amber h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My 3 year old granddaughter also does this,all the plates salt and pepper shaker and everyting must be lined in a row,also everything must be in the same place the next time and always facing foward,her mom is bi-polar si I talked to her Dr. and he said most children around the age of2-3 do this and it is kind of like ocd,BUT he says it tends to be the real intelligent ones and my grandbaby is very smart!
2006-07-27 12:08:27 · answer #7 · answered by Cherokee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try talking to him when he's doing this. ask him why he puts everything in a straight line, or why is everything the same size. just make it seem like ur really interested in what he's doing, and i'm sure he'll gladly tell u all about what's so fascinating about lining things up and why it has to be the same size. if his answer seems like it leans more towards OCD behavior, then u should talk to a therapist about this.
2006-07-27 12:45:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some might say autism, I'm reluctant to say that. My four-year-old son likes lining up his toys cars like they're in a parade, and he likes stacking things on top of each other (and screaming if they fall), but I don't think he's autistic. Except my son lines up his toy cars end-to-end.
Could be our boys will be engineers. It's amazing how kids can get those things so precise, isn't it?
I'd like to add that when I was 2 or 3, I liked to arrange the bowls in my mother's cupboard by kind--they have a picture of me doing that. I also liked to rearrange my mother's books in her bookshelf following whatever pattern hit me at the time.
(I was also reading my mother's old college textbooks at age 5. Might be a smart one on your hands there!)
2006-07-27 12:10:54 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kids are just that, KIDS!! Let them explore and learn all they want. If in a few years he still does this, at least you will get a half way sensible answer from him. My grandson had to have everything in his room a certain way before he would leave it, when he was 5. It was so clean and orderly. But now, at 7, his room is choas!! What his mom would do to have a little of that back!!
2006-07-27 12:09:20 · answer #10 · answered by angel93055 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Arranging thing obsessively can actually be a sign of autism or one of its variations such as PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder)
Children can have this in varying degrees and many have a very good out look in life, especially if diagnosed early. It's worth having it checked, the sooner the better.
Check out the link below and see if it seems to fit your grandson's behavior.
2006-07-27 16:45:58 · answer #11 · answered by pebble 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋