[Mrs.Brown]

Have c and p'd from the children with special needs/dissabilities forum -



I would like to start up a support group for those of us with children that have anxiety. I think it is really important that we can support each other, as I really dont have anyone IRL I can talk too, and when I mention that DD has anxeity to others, they react in a way that is saying anxiety is really nothing and just something she will grow out of!

I think alot of people just dont realise or even understand that anxiety affects your whole life and it really is something serious and takes alot of work.

If there are enough takers, I will check with the mod of this forum and see wether it is something we can do, and if it should go here or in the Depression/Mental Illness forum.

Thanks

Laura


Thought I would post this here as well.

My 6 yr old DD Abbey has been diagnosed with severe anxiety, DAMP ( deficits in attention, motor skills and percetion ).

Her anxiety is very severe, resulting in her life being full of stresses and worries. I do beleive that there is more going on but I need to wait it out a bit longer and see if other symptoms come to the surface.

However the anxiety is very real and it pains me to see her so anxious and scared all of the tme

Are there any other parents here that would like to participate in a support group for our children?

This post has been edited by Icehouse: 27/03/2012, 10:27 PM

[HillmanMinx]

I would. Tomorrow morning I am taking my DD 7.5 back to the doctor for anxiety.

Her name is Ellie.

She has not been formally assessed though 3 times we have had referrals (long story) but not followed through.

She has ASD symptoms (obsessions for eg) which is in the genes (paternal) and related sensory things (movement, sound, touch).

She is also very ADHD-like (no dx) and always has been.

Or it could be childhood onset bipolar, she certainly has pressured speach and flights of ideas.

Anyway, assessment will tell.

But one thing she does have is anxiety. She finds it hard to sleep. She thinks she is going to die and panics. She thinks trees are going to fall on the house or car. If she hears something on tv she worries about it non stop. She gets stomach aches and headaches at school daily. Poor chook, she is so adorable. So sad that she is always so troubled.

Hi all.

[Mrs.Brown]

Hi HillmanMinx

Im just about off to bed but look forward to posting more about DD tomorrow and getting to know you.

Anyone else, please feel free to pop in and say hi.

Chat soon

[AMPSyd]

I will quickly reply and come back later. DS has GAD, is 11, ans is actually doing OK but still has some anxieties - especially with large dogs.

[PB2]

Great idea. Have a son that has anxiety. I have to rush off now to work, but will be back on line tonight.

Might be a good idea to post this in the WDYT section to get more traffic and notice. I just happend to see it in the side bar thing, normally I wouldnt look in this section or the special needs section. There have been a few threads over the last year about anxiety so there are definatley a few of us mums around.

WE could share resources, ideas and just have a chat - sometimes it is so hard for family to understand what the impact of this is and that he cant just snap out of it, or our parenting can fix it.

great idea.

[i-candi]

DS is 12 and has anxiety and depression

I could have him diagnosed with Aspergers but have decided against it.

This morning he is good, tomorrow who knows????

DS is medicated and it has made a huge difference to him coping with day to day life. He still has problems with high stress situations.

I have a DD who is 9 has the most amazing outlook on life. She is so outgoing and shines on stage in front of people and is loved by most at her school. It's strange that I have two children so opposite each other.

DH is also medicated for depression and anxiety. I believe he is on the spectrum as well. DH is very successful in his career which probably helps that he is on the spectrum.

DS started high school this year and they have been awesome helping him and watching him and making sure he is ok. At one stage DS was in such a bad way that he was being watched by teachers to make sure he didn't do anything to himself.

I've never had anxiety or true depression so this board has been so helpful for me trying to understand DS.

[Mrs.Brown]

Great idea PB2. Im off to wrok now but if a mod could possibly pop something into WDYT today then start up a group for us here that would be brilliant.

Chat very soon ladies xo

[HillmanMinx]

Incase anyones around - What do you think

Should I get a referral to a developmental paed or a child psychiatrist to best help my daughter? (see my previous post for details)

20 mins till GP apt

[Mrs.Brown]

Hi girls

S sorry Hillmanminx I didnt get a chance to reply earlier thismorning. How did you go at the GP? I honestly wouldnt know which way to go, either paed or psyc? My Abbey seems very similar to your child and I really beleive there is more to her than what the paed has said. I truly think there are ASD or ADD traits there but the paed wouldnt go with that. And we waited ages to see her! Grrrr!

Hi icandi Both DH and I are sufferers of depression and anxiety, so I guess it was inevitable that Abbey would have some form of MI. It is also rampant on both sides of the family in past generations so the poor thing has copped it! Its great to hear your sons school are pro-active with him. Our school isnt so great and Im contemplating a move, if Abbey can cope with the change.

Ampsyd and PB2, its nice to meet you. Would love to chat more when your able to come in.

Thought I would give a quickish run down on my DD ( will try and make it quick lol )

Very difficult baby. Never slept. Just screamed. Wouldnt settle for anyone but me for a very long time. Didnt sleep thru until 4 years old!! Still wakes now at 6 but not as often, but its mainly when she is anxious or had a bad day.

Hates crowds, gets very nervous at playgrounds where there are other kids and clings on to me constantly when at a park. Will only play at the playground without clinging on to me if no one else is there. If there are just a couple of kids she will play but I have to be in there with her.

Doesnt like sudden loud noises, altho this is getting better with time. Has no idea on how to socialise and gets very anxious and goes into meltdown mode when things dont work out when playing with other kids. She doesnt understand or know how to manage conflict and if things are not going the way she is comfortable with, all hell breaks loose.

Still refusing to do a poo in the toilet ( is scared of something but we cant work out what, the paed said with some anxious kids they are afraid of letting go of what is inside them ). She is wee trained tho, but her bowel problems also cause constipation.

Has sensory processing difficulties.

Cannot leave her anywhere without me, except at school. She doesnt even like staying with dad sometimes, and goes into meltdown mode 90% of the time that I leave her at home with anyone. I have never been able to leave her at a birthday party and if we go anywhere like that she clings and refuses to interact with the other kids.

Has a speech delay and a stutter.

I think that is it! Phew!

The teacher was saying today that Abbey is not completing her work very well and there are constant trips to the toilet which is resulting in her not getting her work done. Im wondering if that is an anxiety thing ( had it last year in prep and it was anxiety ), or a way of her not haivng to sit still all the time at her desk, or a combination of both.
I spoke to the psychologist today that I have chosen and we have our initial consult in 2 weeks.

I really hope that we can accomplish some stuff and get my child enjoying life and to be not as fearful.

Hi to everyone. I probably wont get in the thread more than 2 or 3 times a week, like all of us Im so busy but I realy look forward to us all helping each other and sharing ideas. Evening coming in and having a cry ( which we all need ) will make us feel better.

Some people in society see anxiety as nothing. They see it as a very minor thing, like a grazed knee. And that is so upsetting. I see it at times when I have spoken to other parents at DD's school. They hear the word anxiety and say she is just nervy and will grow out of it, like its a nothing.
I want to scream at these parents that anxiety can rule a persons life and that it is not a nothing, but a very real and emotionally painful condition. One that can make a person life full of fear and can lock them down.

I wish people wouldnt think of anxiety as nothing. I wish they could see that it can control a persons life.

Chat soon girls xo

[HillmanMinx]

Icehouse my GP wanted to go the paed option first, and then psychiatrist if necessary.

The earliest paed appt I can get is mid september, so I booked that and also hunted down a child psychiatrist and have an apt the end of May. Now I have to go back and hit her up for both referrals.

I have emailed a clinical psychologist about 'play therapy' for my dd to be started ASAP. This I am hoping will ground dd and make he feel that her issues are being worked on actively right away, instead of waiting months which is like years to a 7 year old.

I think she will really love it and benefit.

And I emailed child therapy centre about getting dd into a social skills group therapy program to be started ASAP too.

Now I just have to win the lotto to fund it all.

Some people in society see anxiety as nothing. They see it as a very minor thing, like a grazed knee. And that is so upsetting.

I know its almost like 'she has anxiety? we all have anxiety!' well, no, we don't all worry ourselves into an emotional mess about every day things. We don't all find crowds so distressing that we have meltdowns or spin out or get sick when in them. Otherwise the whole crowd would be clinging to each other and looking totally out of their comfort zone, instead of just OUR kids whilst everyone else is having a great time.

Anyway I am just as guilty as those people. My family really beat home the need to accept variences in people and refrain from pathologising natural traits etc. But they did the same to me and my life has been a much more disturbed and traumatic affair than it could have been, if only they hadn't felt so strongly opposed to 'pigeon hole-ing' me. So I have finally run out of tolernece for letting a child suffer in ways nobody would let an adult suffer without support. And I have run out of fear that I will seem more neurotic than I already do for getting my daughter help. It took a lot and I failed my daughter by leaving it this late, but, better to repent now I guess.

This post has been edited by HillmanMinx: 29/03/2012, 01:46 AM