These findings also point to several considerations relevant to current clinical practice. A thorough medical history, including specific questions regarding chronic immune-related conditions as well as acute triggers such as infections should be considered in the diagnostic assessment of all children presenting with OCD symptoms. If identified, the impact of these medical comorbidities on OCD-related symptoms and functional status requires further assessment. Appropriate psychoeducation may include discussion of the multiple factors contributing to OCD risk, onset, and progression, including potential etiological links between the immune system and the brain that have also been described in other psychiatric disorders but about which our knowledge remains limited.
