Anxiety and panic in kids

[pstall]

Happy your kid sounds like my oldest. Sensory integration is a huge challenge. Believe it or not a renowned author on the subject lives in Charlotte. Basically our kids have a cable modem brain but process either in dsl or dial up mode emotionally or verbally. I know your battle well.

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[Panthro]

HP I've seen this work on some people I'm close to...

Acupressure points....it's helps to soothe the panic or anxiety

Hand, cheek bone, and a couple others.

[pstall]

There are specfic exercises and sensory things that can be done with him as well. Remember its about processing incoming info/feelings/emotions etc then translating that.

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[Paa Langfart]

I wonder if it could be anything environmental such as food allergies etc that could trigger the release of adrenalin and cause it to start.

[ladypanther]

My oldest is having panic attacks over the weather. He has always been a nervous guy but nothing to worry about. 

 

But in the last week he his fear of storms and tornadoes has become debilitating. He knows logically that it will be fine but it will simply not get out of his head. He says "please help me stop worrying about it." Which breaks our hearts.

 

We have put him on the bus in absolute tears each morning for the past week

 

Anyway have an appointment on Monday with a specialist and we have been taking steps with some "tricks" we have read about. We have worry time at 7:00 each night and talk all about it.

 

Up until last week we have been able to simply talk him through any nervousness pretty easily.

 

His teacher is aware of it as is the school counselor although I don't expect too much from that.

 

Anyone dealt with something similar?

 

 

Sorry to hear your son is going through this.  He is lucky....sounds like you are doing all the right things.  Only thing I might add....minimize his access to news if possible.  Best wishes to you all.

[TNPanther]

When I was your son's age I had the exact same issue, believe it or not. I had this strange fear of storms and tornadoes that would have me flipping out every time a cloud passed over. Sometimes at night, even if the sky was full of nothing but stars, I would wake up my parents just to lie in bed next to them because I was so scared. It mainly stemmed from books I would read about weather phenomena. One of the books contained ominous, eerie looking pictures of tornadoes and mesocyclones, which aided my fears. Maybe he's reading too much into it?

[SmokinwithWilly]

I used to have the same problem. Storms used to put me into a terrible panic. What really helped me was learning about how it all really worked. Once I learned about clouds, how rain is made, lightning, etc it really helped because it wasn't an unknown thing anymore. Knowledge and understanding really helped with my fear and in turn my anxiety. Not saying this would work in your situation but it might help.

[KendrickPanther]

I will tell you I knew a guy with a very similar phobia when we were children. I have no idea what kind of treatment he received and if it ever got better but he's an adult now with a college degree and a good job. So it's not necessarily a bad omen for things to come.

[Chimera]

My son deals with anxiety due to developmental delays. When he has trouble communicating he gets anxious and acts out.

I wish I had some advice, best I can do is wish you the best.

My oldest son was the same way. Since his motor development was off the charts, his speech therapist taught him sign language. Since he could communicate, the acting out stopped and his anxiety lessened.

[Happy Panther]

So nothing worked. Lots of doctor visits and yoga and reading every book and hugs etc...He is a happy kid but the fear comes and there is not much we can do. I work at home so I spend tons of time with him. We go to lunch and he is happy. He loves me and his whole family. 95% of the time he is a smart little cool happy guy.

 

So he is going on SSRI with school coming up. Not really happy about it but willing to give it a try. Any experiences are appreciated.

 

As an aside I learned that my mom, dad, brother, aunt and nephew at a minimum are on similar drugs and all happy as freaking clams. So maybe for the best.

[Herbert The Love Bug]

I'm 24 and have awful anxiety and have my whole life. Makes me poop a lot

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[pstall]

So nothing worked. Lots of doctor visits and yoga and reading every book and hugs etc...He is a happy kid but the fear comes and there is not much we can do. I work at home so I spend tons of time with him. We go to lunch and he is happy. He loves me and his whole family. 95% of the time he is a smart little cool happy guy.

 

So he is going on SSRI with school coming up. Not really happy about it but willing to give it a try. Any experiences are appreciated.

 

As an aside I learned that my mom, dad, brother, aunt and nephew at a minimum are on similar drugs and all happy as freaking clams. So maybe for the best.

 

keep looking man. even at a young age, meds should be the absolute total last resort.

 

not saying this is you in this case but stick with me. I know a couple who are great friends. They have two kids who are in and out of therapy and the wife is a high level real estate agent. I throw that in for this.

Both kids have taken tons of meds etc and it spaces them out but when I was over there a few weeks ago I just observed. What I noticed is the parents said No every 2 mins to their kids. Not one time did they tell the kid to come to them or did they get down on their knee and make eye contact or redirect their kid to something else.

So after like the 40th time I had to say something. i go ya know. You guys have said no a lot tonight. They go what would you do. I said offer the kid some options or guide them in a different direction. You are the adult remember?

 

My gut tells me mom works so much they barely know her. She loves her kids no doubt but the dynamic is thrown off.

 

Personally I always believe there is a natural way out. No I'm not Tom Cruise and anti meds. By no means. But I just think kids today are either over diagnosed or misdiagnosed too often.

 

Having said all that. Anxiety in a kid is plausible because they just don't now how to rationalize well enough yet. They are a kid.

Dude if you ever want to get the fams to hang I would be up for it. I may not know much but I know people and I have an uncanny knack for reading what people are thinking or gonig thru. It's a gift and a curse.

 

[Happy Panther]

keep looking man. even at a young age, meds should be the absolute total last resort.

 

not saying this is you in this case but stick with me. I know a couple who are great friends. They have two kids who are in and out of therapy and the wife is a high level real estate agent. I throw that in for this.

Both kids have taken tons of meds etc and it spaces them out but when I was over there a few weeks ago I just observed. What I noticed is the parents said No every 2 mins to their kids. Not one time did they tell the kid to come to them or did they get down on their knee and make eye contact or redirect their kid to something else.

So after like the 40th time I had to say something. i go ya know. You guys have said no a lot tonight. They go what would you do. I said offer the kid some options or guide them in a different direction. You are the adult remember?

 

My gut tells me mom works so much they barely know her. She loves her kids no doubt but the dynamic is thrown off.

 

Personally I always believe there is a natural way out. No I'm not Tom Cruise and anti meds. By no means. But I just think kids today are either over diagnosed or misdiagnosed too often.

 

Having said all that. Anxiety in a kid is plausible because they just don't now how to rationalize well enough yet. They are a kid.

Dude if you ever want to get the fams to hang I would be up for it. I may not know much but I know people and I have an uncanny knack for reading what people are thinking or gonig thru. It's a gift and a curse.

 

Thanks for this. We are pretty much the opposite of the parents above for the record.

 

Unfortunately the biggest issue now is school. Some days he cries most of the morning. His teacher was a saint but her comments were that the whole class has been really supportive however compassionate 3rd graders lose that compassion at some point and it will become tougher. He also had to be removed from the end of year exams. He is embarrassed about it and says things like "I just want you to fix it."

 

I'm sure we will get together at some point.

[MadHatter]

Saw this article today on MSN and thought about the discussion going on in this past thread.

 

http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/raising-kids/9-things-every-parent-with-an-anxious-child-should-try#8