OCD vs Anxiety vs ADHD in Kids: ERP, Diagnosis & Next Steps w/ Dr. Tamar Chansky

Episode Summary

OCD vs. anxiety in kids, ERP treatment, and co-regulation for families. Dr. Tamar Chansky explains how to tell OCD from general anxiety, where it overlaps with ADHD, and how parents can lower fear, connect first, and coach skills that stick. We cover PANS/PANDAS (sudden-onset OCD after infections), when to seek medical evaluation, and first-line care like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) plus hopeful long-term outcomes and “tune-ups” during new life stages.

Guest

Dr. Tamar Chansky, founder of the Children’s and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety, author of Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Freeing Yourself from Anxiety. She’s known for translating evidence-based care into clear, compassionate strategies families can use right away.

Episode Overview

Parents often confuse anxiety (“what-ifs,” future worry) with OCD (intrusive thoughts + compulsions). Dr. Chansky clarifies the difference and shows how naming patterns as “OCD-normal” separates the child from the disorder and lowers shame. You’ll learn why parent nervous-system regulation is step one, how ERP works through stepwise “courage challenges,” when medication may help (especially with co-occurring depression in teens), and how to approach PANS/PANDAS: treat medical triggers first, then layer CBT/ERP as needed. Bottom line: pediatric OCD is highly treatable, and families can expect progress plus occasional “tune-ups” during transitions.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

• Language that helps: call patterns “OCD-normal,” separate child from disorder; connect → then problem-solve

• Anxiety vs. OCD: anxiety = “what-ifs”; OCD = intrusive thoughts + compulsions (“superstition on steroids”)

• Emotional regulation: parent down-regulation enables child co-regulation

• PANS/PANDAS: sudden spikes after infections (e.g., strep/Lyme/post-viral); treat medical cause first; add CBT/ERP later

• First-line care for pediatric OCD: ERP with stepwise “courage challenges”; meds not first-line for most kids, may help some—especially teens with depression

• Parent power: Coaching parent responses can rival direct child therapy

• Outlook: highly treatable; skills + neuroplastic change; periodic “tune-ups” during new stages (“last-yearing it”)

Resources & Links

• Dr. Tamar Chansky & books: https://tamarchansky.com/

• PANDAS Physicians Network: https://www.pandasppn.org/practitioners/

About Your Host

Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach; author of How We Roll: A Parent’s Journey Raising a Child with ADHD; host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast. Every child with ADHD is unique, so are their strengths and struggles. Website & coaching: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

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