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Understanding the difference between OCD rituals, autistic routines and sensory seeking in children One of the most common questions parents ask me is: “How do I know if this is OCD… or just part of my child’s neurodivergence?” This can feel incredibly confusing for families, especially because many autistic and ADHD children: enjoy repetition, seek familiarity, prefer routines, rewatch favourite programmes, eat the same foods, repeat phrases or movements, and find comfort in

What do children really need during anxiety, OCD and big feelings?

Why This Growing Area of Research Has Caught My Attention Over the past few years, I’ve noticed more and more parents asking questions about natural supplements that may support neurodivergent children — particularly around: emotional regulation anxiety sleep focus executive functioning and nervous system overwhelm One supplement that keeps appearing in both research conversations and parenting spaces is Saffron. As a psychologist and psychotherapist working with children and

When a child develops OCD, maybe around getting things right, getting things wrong, upsetting people, germs, contamination, vomiting, food or feeling “dirty,” it can understandably look like the fear itself is the whole problem. Parents are often told: “They’re afraid of germs.” "They are afraid of something bad happening" "They are afraid of the air being dirty" “They’re worried about getting sick.” “It’s contamination OCD.” "It's perfectionism OCD." And that can be true. Bu

OCD Help UK for Children: When Contamination OCD, Food Anxiety & Fear of Choking Feel Too Strong If your child has said something like: “I want to get better… but I can’t.” “The OCD is too strong.” “I don’t want to get dirty.” “I can’t eat that… I might choke.” —you’re not alone. Many UK parents search for child OCD help, ERP therapy for teens, or support with food anxiety and fear of choking, and feel confused when their child wants to get better—but can’t take the first ste

A practical, compassionate approach for families If your child struggles with anxiety or OCD, you may feel like you’re constantly trying to reassure, fix, or prevent distress—only to find that the worry comes back stronger. Many parents I meet say things like: “I just want to help them feel better.” “If I don’t reassure them, they get so distressed.” “We feel stuck in the same cycle every day.” This is exactly where the SPACE model (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood

If your child has tics, you may find yourself wondering: “Why is it worse today?” “Is something causing this?” Tics can feel unpredictable—but there are some common patterns that many parents begin to notice. What can trigger tics? Tics are influenced by the nervous system, and they often increase when a child is: Stressed or anxious Big feelings can make tics more noticeable. Tired Fatigue is one of the most common triggers. Excited or overstimulated Tics can increase durin

This is a question many parents ask—and it’s completely understandable. PANS and PANDAS are medical conditions, and therapy does not treat the underlying cause, which may involve the immune system or inflammation in the body. However, therapy can play a really important role in supporting your child with the emotional and behavioural impact of what they are experiencing. Why therapy can still help Children with PANS/PANDAS often experience: OCD behaviours Tics Anxiety or pan

If your child is struggling with anxiety or OCD, you may find yourself doing everything you can to help them feel better. This often includes reassurance, avoiding triggers, or helping with routines. The SPACE Programme (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) offers a gentle, effective way to support your child—by focusing on what you can do as a parent . What is SPACE and how does it help? SPACE is a parent-led approach designed to support children with anxiet

If your child has started making sudden movements or sounds they can’t seem to control, you’re not alone—and neither are they. These are called tics , and they’re more common than many people realise. What are tics? Tics are brief, involuntary movements or sounds that happen repeatedly. They can come and go, change over time, and are often influenced by things like stress, excitement, or tiredness. Importantly, tics are not done on purpose. From a brain perspective, tics are

If you’re parenting or caring for a teenager, you might sometimes feel hurt, confused—or like you’re the person they treat worst. Your teen may seem polite, capable, even easy-going at school…But at home, they’re irritable, withdrawn, or quick to snap. Many parents quietly wonder: “Why does my teenager behave like this at home? If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. And very often, it’s not really about rudeness at all. The Effort of “Holding It Together” Teenagers today

When your child is both autistic and has ADHD (often referred to as AuDHD), it can sometimes feel like they are being pulled in two different directions at once. As a parent, you may notice moments where their needs seem to clash — for example, a strong urge to move, explore, or act quickly, alongside a deep need for predictability, calm, and time to process. Understanding these internal “pushes and pulls” can be incredibly powerful in supporting your child. The ADHD side of

How We Explain ERP, ACT and Inhibitory Learning to Teens If your teenager has been struggling with OCD you may have heard terms like ERP , ACT , or inhibitory learning mentioned in therapy. They can sound technical and intimidating. But in practice, these approaches are actually very relatable, practical, and empowering for young people. In this post, I’ll walk you through how we explain these ideas to teens in a way that makes sense—and helps them feel more in control. Help

When a child or young person becomes unable to attend school because of severe anxiety, it can feel frightening and confusing for everyone involved. Parents often feel pressure from schools, family members, and even their own inner voice asking questions like “How will they catch up?” or “What if this goes on too long?” As an integrative psychotherapist working with children and young people experiencing severe anxiety, I want to begin with a reassuring truth: Before a child

Many parents and carers of neurodiverse children know how complex things can feel. When a child is both neurodivergent and struggling with attachment difficulties, everyday situations can sometimes become overwhelming for everyone involved. Approaches like Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (often called DDP) offer a way of supporting children that focuses on connection, understanding, and safety within relationships. As an integrative psychologist and psychotherapist, I am t

One of the most common concerns I hear from parents, carers, and children experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is: “I don’t feel they really listened. I don’t think they are hearing what we are saying.” In my experience, effective support must be individualised , with the child’s voice at the centre and parents or carers actively supporting that perspective. Children often describe EBSA as a wall — a block they cannot get over, under, or around. This wall pr

Living with PANS or PANDAS can be frightening and deeply destabilising — for children and for their families. Symptoms are often sudden, intense and unexplained. A child can change dramatically almost overnight. Flare-ups bring unpredictability — families may feel constantly on edge, never knowing when symptoms will return or what will trigger them. With PANS especially, triggers can feel endless and uncertain: infection, strep, allergies, mould, stress, Lyme disease and more

Many parents come to me feeling exhausted from trying to explain their child’s needs. They know their child is bright, sensitive, trying their best — and yet something isn’t working at school. Meetings can feel overwhelming. Forms can feel endless. And too often, families feel they have to “prove” their child is struggling. My role is to help you move from uncertainty to clarity. As a psychologist and psychotherapist, I use something called the biopsychosocial model , develop

At The Little Bird House , we specialise in supporting children and young people living with anxiety, trauma, OCD, tics and neuroinflammation-related difficulties. When OCD takes hold, it can feel as though it quietly moves into the family home — dictating routines, demanding reassurance, and shrinking a young person’s world. Two of the most effective approaches we use in our work with OCD are: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) (we use the updated Inhibitory Learning Mod

I have had an increase in enquiries about the CBIT program we offer for tics, so thought it may be helpful to clarify the process. CBIT stands for Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics. CBIT is suitable for children and adolescents over the age of 6 whose tics are causing them distress/and or significantly impacting their daily function CBIT is an evidence based therapeutic program and approved by the NICE guidelines. CBIT involves a high commitment from the child a