Listening

Aunt Maya writes a short message to the school counselor. Her nephew, Liam, is 16. He washes his hands again and again until the skin turns red and sore. Maya worries this could be obsessive-compulsive behavior. Liam’s parents say he is just “very clean,” and they scold him when his hands look bad. Maya asks the counselor what she can do. The counselor suggests a calm talk with the parents, a visit to a family doctor, and support for Liam at school. Getting help early, the counselor says, can make daily life easier for everyone.