Anxiety in an NT (7 year old )child | Autism PDD
I have run across another issue. It's with my dd, she is 7 1/2 years old and is ADD. Since toddlerhood, she has ALWAYS had anxiety problems. Well, as times has went by, she has gotten worse. She is one of the HAPPIEST children that I know, and has never had a problem with depression. But her anxiety is totally out of control. I cannot leave the room without telling her that I am do so, where I am going and how long I will be. Just the other day, my dh was in the front yard and I ran to the front door to tell him something, (couldn't have been gone for more than 5-10 minutes). I stick my head back in the door only to hear her screaming and crying "mommy, where are you"? By the time I could get to her, she was totally hysterical and shaking all over. Now keep in mine, the only time that I have ever went off and left her, was when she started daycare at 7 months old (and that was sheer hell for the daycare and me) and when she started school. If I have to go to the doctor and she can't go with me, OMG, it's constantly calling my cell asking when I am gonna be home, She will go and spend the weekend with my niece and you can count on it, by 11pm she is calling me hysterical again. If it even remotely looks like it may rain, she literally cowers in a corner and cries. (Hurricane Rite did MAJOR emotional damage to her when it comes to bad weather). Every day I have to check the weather radar to see if here is rain coming, and if there is, she turns into an emotional basketcase. I called her psychiatrist and let him know that it has gotten totally out of control and we have to do something for my poor little girl. We have an appt. with him at 4 PM today.
I know this is long and I am truly sorry.
But is this normal for a child to be THIS anxious all of the time but otherwise happier than other children that I have seen?
Please help, give me insight. I trust you guys and I am turning to you for help with hopes that some of you have experienced something similar with your child.
I am not sure this is normal.. Children do suffer from anxiety..
Especially if it runs in your family.. I have anxiety disorder and just
starting taking mediciine about 3 months ago.. I am cured now thank
god.. My anixrty eas so bad i could not leave the house.. I would
sweat all the time throw up and alot more.. I finally talked with my
dcotor and started paxil. I am not saying meds are the way to go all
the time.. But i am a adult and need to function everyday to take care
of my family. See what your doctor says .. It might be a good idea to
put her on some meds.. for a short time at a low does.. You might see a
difference.. Good luck Keep us posted..
I would think, based on what you are dealing with, the psych will
recommend medication. In addition to that, there are very effective
techniques that can also be used to help anxiety. I've used them
firsthand both for myself & my older dd. Your psych can hopefully offer
some advice w/ regard to those (things like anxiety challenges where you
basically take baby steps into submerging yourself into your
fear...perhaps w/ dd's fear of rain, you could do something like this). I
would think some social stories may help also.
Part of me often wonders too if being the older sibling to a child w/
special needs has led to any or part of any of our dd's issues. Our
younger dd has been hospitalized quite a bit & has had various medical
procedures & devices. I wonder if any of that, or her sister's day to day
behavioral challenges, etc. have added to dd's anxiety. But, like I've
posted before, our family tree is riddled w/ anxiety & other mental
disorders. So, it's not too surprising. I have tried to ensure our older dd
feel special, we have one-on-one time, I've found some sibling books
that help (great one for insight for parents to read is called "Being The
Other One"). You won't believe the burden & stress the sibs feel, and how
it really can alter their life.
I will say too, my older dd (she is 6.5) who has anxiety & some OCD
tendencies leans more toward the VERY happy personality. She is very
bubbly & upbeat. I too was taken aback when a year or so ago, when
these fears & OCD issues came about. From my own experience, growing
up & to this day, I tend to use cheerfullness & humor as a mask to hide
my social anxiety. I know also as a child, I felt (for who knows what
reason) a burden to be happy & keep things together. So, I was happy on
the outside, but when I received psych help as a teen, it all came out as to
how torn up I was on the inside. I was able to hide depression, OCD,
anxiety, etc. fairly well (I also had ADD). The fact that your dd already has
ADD, she is susceptible to add'l psych disorders. It's good you are seeing
the psych & I hope things can get better for her. Anxiety can be so
crippling, & I hate seeing it in little children. Their world should be all
butterflies & rainbows, ya know? Keep us posted. ((((HUGS))) for you
both!
(Okay, that was loooong. Sorry.)Zoe's anxiety started at 7 months old and she is almost 8 now, and Skylar is almost 5. So it started long before he came along. Her and I have very long talks about Skylar's disability and about her anxiety (due to I have an anxiety disorder myself). I make it a point on a regular basis to let her know that her brother is NO more special to me than she is. And that I love them equally. She understands that he is just a little different and needs a little extra help. Her and her brother are REALLY close (the best of friends and love each other dearly). She is very good with him after knowing that he is "different" and is a big help to me when dealing with him and his moods. She does lose her tempter with him sometimes, but nothing major. When she is away from home, the first thing she asks when she calls is, "does skylar miss me? What is he doing?" things like that. I find that on many occasions SHE puts his needs before her own. She is too grown up to be such a little girl, very mature, smart and just an all around "perfect" child in my eyes.
But I do agree with the anxiety disorder being some trait that she took from me. I am being medicated for it, I just didn't want for it to come to a point that she had to be medicated for it too at such an early age. But I just want to do what is best for her.
Hello.....My 15 year old son that has ADHD has SEVERE anxiety also. I often wonder now that he is older whether he is actually aspergers. He was and early talker....very curious about the environment around him. He has obsessions etc...the list goes on and on. My son NEEDS medication but unfortunately his father had him taken off of it...I suppose he doesn't like the stigma so to speak. My son did really well on Paxil. The first week he took it I noticed a huge difference and your really not suppose to see a major change for a few weeks. He was approx 7 when I realized that he needed something. It just got so bad. he was afraid constantly of someone breaking in the house. HE obsessed over it. To this day he is in constant check of his environment...looking around in the parking lots at night to make sure he is safe. It's sad really. To see this big boy act that way breaks my heart. He wants to be a fighter pilot and other than the anxiety is a VERY happy person and has a wonderful sense of humor and cracks jokes all the time. I worry though that his anxiety will keep him from his dreams. We are getting ready to go back into mediation about my oldest children. Hopfully this will be addressed there.
Karrie
karjab30, thanks!! I was going to discuss with her psychiatrist this afternoon about trying her on Paxil. I took it many years ago and did great on it. I just don't want them putting her on something that is going to turn her into a zombie. She is currently being treated with Concerta 36mg daily for her ADD and it does great, but it does seem to intensify her nervousness. At least in my opinion. It just hurts me to know that my poor little lady is afraid of just about everything.I am definately gonna ask about the Paxil this afternoon. Thanks again.
bump Update-
I took Zoe and Skylar in to see there psychiatrist yesterday about Zoe's anxiety and Sky's meds not working anymore.
Well with Zoe, he want to send her to see a child therapist that deals in Anxiety Disorders, and only use the medication as a last resort (and that is fine with me)
With Skylar, he took him off of the FocalinXR and put him on 36mg of Concerta, upped him to .75 mg of Risperdal and stayed with the .1 mg of clonodine at night. So I guess we will see what happens.
anxiety, & has not required medication. She is 6.5 now, and really is doing
so much better than 1-2 years ago. We still have some sleep issues, but
melatonin seems to help. You'll learn a lot & gain so much from that
therapist. I'm hoping our younger dd's anxiety issues do not worsen w/ age,
she is at the same time fearless of dangers yet petrified of other things.
Keep us posted!well when hurricane Rita hit us a year or so ago, we got hit HARD, and now we have another headed this way, expected to be a cat. 4 at landfall. Hurricane Rita is what did the most anxiety damage to her, now she is afraid of rain, lightning, thunder and even dark clouds. I am doomed all over again.
Her first appt. with the therapist isnt until Sept. 26th.
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