We have noticed over the last couple of months that boy#2 (9 years old) is increasingly displaying some OCD-like traits (excessive hand washing to the point his hands are actually sore, exact (though not extreme) bedtime rituals, has to be covered in a certain sofa throw, in a certain way to play his x-box, reliving past (imagined) misdemeanours, labourious cereal eating system, etc). What should we do about this as we don't want to get more extreme but don't want to intervene if it is just a stage? Thanks for any help.
Gosh, thanks lcg. He has quite happily switched to baby wipes (told him it was to stop his hands getting sore and he was ok with it) but after he has wiped his hands he uses his elbow to shut the bin. He's quite happy to talk about why he is cleaning his hands so much (and it is all perfectly logical) so maybe he would be happy talking to a doctor. I will get an appointment for him in half term.
Thanks all. Have set the wheels in motion at the school for the SENCO to get involved (unfortunately she is only in one day a week and I still haven't seen her regarding thing 2 and his speech problem).