A case of an unusual presentation of obsessive compulsive disorder in an adolescent

Abstract

Children and adolescents with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can present in atypical and unusual ways. We present the case of a 13 year old boy with an unusual presentation of OCD. He presented with irritability, aggression, poor sleep, reduced attention, hyperreligiosity, social withdrawal and disinhibition (i.e. inappropriately touching females) for 1 week and was found to have obsessional thoughts and impulses related to sex and the compulsion of seeking absolution from lord buddha. He was diagnosed as OCD after excluding organic causes, manic episode, acute psychotic episode, drug induced psychosis and sexual abuse. He initially responded to fluoxetine 20mg, olanzapine 2.5 and a short course of lorazepam. He was functioning well for 2 weeks and thus olanzapine and lorazapam were tailed off. A week later he presented with similar symptoms with the added symptoms of singing, masturbating in public and talking excessively to his mother about sex. He was found to have obsessional thoughts, impulses and images and the compulsions of reassurance seeking from his mother and seeking absolution from lord buddha. He responded to an increase in fluoxetine to 40mg and olanzapine 2.5mg. He has now remained in remission for 4 months with good functioning. This case shows that in contrast to adults, children may not recognize that their obsessional thoughts are irrational and may not be able to resist the obsessions as a result. It stresses the importance of being mindful of the atypical presentations of OCD in children to avoid misdiagnosis.