Recognizing that your child has OCD is a difficult and important step for any concerned parent. In order to understand how this disorder affects your child's life, you'll need to reframe your thinking so you can see her behaviors for what they really are: Attempts to cope with her own internal anxiety. Two diagnostic terms help organize this process of recognition. When a child with OCD tries to resolve anxiety through recurring thoughts, her faulty thinking is called an obsession. If she attempts to manage her internal emotional discomfort through repetitive actions, her behavior is a compulsion.