ABSTRACT
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric condition that usually emerges during childhood or adolescence. Over 80% of individuals with OCD have their onset before age 18 years. This chapter reviews current knowledge of paediatric OCD in the following areas: age of onset, nosologyand classification, subtypes, prevalence, aetiology, pathophysiology, assessment, prognosis and treatment. It presents a brief overview of current thinking about OCD in children and adolescents, from aetiology to treatment, and is targeted at clinicians, trainees and informed parents. The nosology and classification of OCD in children and adolescents is similar to that in adults. Many children with pervasive developmental disorders and/or learning disability exhibit stereotypies that resemble compulsions.
