Signs Your Child is a Hoarder

Is your child a hoarder? Hoarding is a disease of the mind that causes a person to hold onto "stuff" - cluttering up every inch of his home. Thousands of Americans suffer from it and shows like Clean House and Hoarders thrive off of it. Certain signs usually go hand-and-hand with an individual who hoards. If you see any of them in your child now, take action. Get a handle on a toxic problem that can leak into adulthood and result in disaster.

Sign #1: your child collects lots of stuff.

Hoarders often collect items that are worthless in value and talk about them as if they were priceless. Then, once you get a chance to see their collection, it is laid around like a pile a trash. If your child exhibits this behavior, he is becoming a hoarder. He can't figure out how to handle items of worth versus plain old' junk.

Sign #2: your child can't throw anything out.

Adult and child hoarders never want to throw anything away. They have a special story about everything they own from a rusty nail to an antique doll. Also, if you take charge and toss out a few worn-out items, they overact. There's lots of crying and yelling. This type of behavior is not natural, even for a young person. Therefore, if your child acts this way it is a major sign he is a hoarder.

Sign #3: your child has no organizational skills.

No matter how hard you try, you can't teach your child how to keep a clean room or do anything that requires organization. Sadly, this is a sign that your child might be a hoarder. Hoarders struggle with order and can't learn how to do it without the help of an expert. So, your child's messy room isn't necessarily a sign of laziness. It could be an indication of a much deeper problem.

Sign #4: your child suffers from a mental disorder.

Often, children who grow up to be hoarders suffer from other mental disorders. They can be things like severe depression or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Your child's inability to handle his underlying issues can create new ones like hoarding unless he gets the counseling and possibly medication necessary to combat his issues.

These four signs are ones exhibited by children who are already hoarders or will be full blown ones in adulthood. Don't turn a blind eye. Get help now. Contact a reputable psychologist who can help your child work through his issues.