Obsessional Slowness in Down Syndrome: Severe
Variant of OCD or Separate Disorder?
Lauren Charlot, Ph.D.

In a recent report by Charlot, Fox and Friedlander, a series of eleven patients with Down syndrome and slowness was presented. These individuals spent several hours each day performing routine tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Slowness was considered a significant problem and interfered with normal functioning. These authors reviewed the literature and found other reports of people with "obsessional slowness." Most of these case reports described individuals who were diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Although checking rituals were observed, low levels of anxiety and perfectionistic tendencies were commonly described. Some investigators have suggested that obsessional slowness can be seen as a primary clinical condition, while others have argued that it represents a severe variant of OCD. Only two other reports were found about individuals with a developmental disability having slowness as a clinical problem. In both of these papers, individuals with Down syndrome were described.