Veronica is anxiously awaiting her first day of fifth grade with her puppy Vic. With all of the new students and teachers, who knows what tomorrow will bring!

As the day continues on, she begins to get more and more nervous about the big day.

Mommy, I'm scared about tomorrow.

Veronica isn't like the other kids. Throughout her day she faces repeating thoughts that cause her to do repetitive actions. She is also often overcome with a feeling of anxiousness.

In school, Veronica notices that other students don't seem to think or act like her. When she gets home, she shares her concern with her mother, who always has a way of comforting her.

At home, she explains to her mom that these thoughts and actions are consuming her, and school has become very difficult. She also explains how she has been feeling very down.

Concerned that this behavior is effecting Veronica's function, her mom schedules an appointment to discover what is going on.

At the Psychologists, Veronica explains that she has an overwhelming fear of getting sick, and because of that, she feels a constant need to keep washing her hands.

She also tells the doctor that she has trouble sleeping, and is always waking up from nightmares.

Much to Veronica's surprise, the doctor informs her that what she is experiencing is called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. "With some specific treatment, we can focus on reducing your symptoms and helping you to lead a normal life," he explains.

They make a plan to begin exposure-based cognitive behavioral treatment, and he assures her that she is not alone. She smiles as he explained, "two million other children in the United States face struggles just like you!"

In the car, Veronica felt a sense of relief come over her. She knew treatment would be slow, but was comforted that she was not alone.

Later that night, Veronica and her mom read a story before bed and expressed their hopes for how the treatment will help.

Her mom explained that if she has high expectations for her treatment, she is more likely to see better results!

After Veronica went to bed her mom began to read up about the diagnosis. She wants to understand what Veronica is going through so that she can help with her treatment.

What to know about OCD:

As a mom, she is grateful that Veronica seems to have a more mild case of OCD. She now understands how it can greatly affect peoples lives and functions, and is hopeful that with treatment, that will not be the case for Veronica.

Debilitating affects......

Tired from the nightmares keeping her up, Veronica stumbles sleepily into the kitchen. Today is her first day of treatment!

Anxious about what is to come, Veronica puts on a brave face and heads to treatment. They begin by discussing what OCD is and what she is experiencing.

Then, through exposing her to situations that would likely increase her cleanliness worries, they give her tools to resist washing her hands, and discuss how she feels due to that resistance.

After her first session Veronica is exhausted. It is very difficult for her to resist washing her hands, but she is confident that it will get easier!