Q: My wife was on treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). She stopped taking medication for the same 6-7 months before conception. My son is 5 years old now. What are the chances of him getting OCD or any other depression related disease, through his mom’s genes. Though he behaves normally and is quite healthy and active, but some of his actions like, washing hands repeatedly, over emphasis on neatness and cleanliness, getting agitated and slapping or hitting himself if wishes are not fulfilled, worry me. Are these the symptoms of OCD? Please help?

A:Many diseases, psychiatric or other kinds, do have a genetic substance to it, but this does not mean that children would have the illness for sure; it just means that as compared to children of parents who do not have this condition the ones whose parents have it, are more predisposed. The same applies for OCD.