Does anyone have a child with anxiety issues/panic attacks?

[mommytobug]

Please share your stories and how you got through it. I have known my dd10 had anxiety issues for years but she was sent to St Jude last July when the doctor thought she had Ewing's Sarcoma. We did not know a definite diagnosis for a long time, and even then they were still stumped. She had a bone biopsy, PICC line with IV antibiotics for 6 weeks and was on crutches for a while. The pain had to be managed by morphine. I explain all of this so that you know how serious and how hard her year has been. St Jude is a wonderful place and she felt safe there and also did not feel different. She even said "welcome home" one weekend when we arrived again to the Grizzly hotel on campus. She knows that is what Disney says! She had 2 panic attacks on Sunday and has had one a day since. We have contacted St Jude for a referral and I have also gotten her in with the psychiatrist I work with. I work in mental health but this time I am the mommy. I would really appreciate any stories you could share. I am so sad about this. She has been through enough. Also, want to add she had heart surgery at age 5. Diagnosed with WPW which is life threatening so thank God we kept pushing even when we were told it was nothing. She is a straight A student, very smart, enjoys being outside and her American Girls. Has friends.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

My 8yr old daughter has stress/anxiety issues, but not to this extreame. She was diagnosed the fall of 2007 with Irritiable Bowel Syndrome. It is stress related, when stressed acid is released into the stomach that causes stomach aches, constipation & bladder & colon spasms. She too has been stressed for years - had shingles at age 4, doctor says shingles is brought on by stress/anxiety.
Although I don't have any "great advice", I wanted you to know I will keep you in my prayers. We are struggling this year w/the teacher yelling alot (not at her), she is coming home crying, etc. It is terrible to go through & watch!
If you find anything that helps w/stress, let me know!

Peace, Love & Prayers.

 

[Blessed99]

Hi! First of all, I am so sorry your daughter has to go through all this! I'll bet she is a trooper! What is WPW??

My DD is 9 1/2 years old. She has been dealing with anxiety for years. She has also been dealing with unexplained chest pain for years, all of a sudden she will have an "attack" her heart will either beat really hard, like its going to pop out of her chest and sometimes its different, and will beat about 200 beats per minute. Her cardiologist insists her heart is fine. Her MD is sending her to a gastroenterologist to see if its caused by esophagael spasms, but I am not at all sure that could be it at all. She is finally being referred to a counselor, and I think that that will be sooo good for her. We have had 3 close family members pass away in the past 18 months, and her dad is overseas in Kuwait right now and its been really hard for her to go through these things. But she is a trooper too, and is trying really hard to just let life happen without worrying about everything so much.

 

[triplefigs]

My DS has a myriad of serious health issues (17 surgeries so far) and has Generalized Anxiety Disorder. He had full blown panic attacks starting in preschool and they really manifested at WDW in 2005 (he was 5). He is on Buspar 5mg PO daily,and it does help. I am a NICU RN and did my Peds internship at St Jude. It is an amazing facility. I will pray for your daughter and that all her issues are resolved quickly.

 

[kerry34]

I am sorry to hear that your daughter has gone through so much stress over the past year. It can be common to have panic/anxiety issues after such stress. My 9 yr old daughter has been experiencing the same problem for the past 6 months or so. Doctors think it has to do with me undergoing treatment for breast cancer last year. I am in the process of setting up a counselor for her. She has always been a worrier but it has gotten worse over in the past months and has started to affect her school work. It can be overwhelming because for me sometimes I feel powerless as a mother because I can't just take it away for her. Recently I bought a workbook at barnes and noble that my daughter has been working on with me. There are several different titles in the children with special needs section. The book I bought is called "I bet I wont Fret!" There are various stories and activities for you to work on with your child. My daughter has responded positively so far to it and it has also given me a chance to be proactive while I am waiting for her counseling to start. The one big thing we have done is give her lots of encouragement and positive reinforcement when she overcomes her anxiety and fears. Good luck to you both.

 

[james'mommy]

My DS 6 has anxiety issues. He will become overwhelmed at school if he doesn't understand directions or can't complete his work. He will often cry sometimes unconsolably at school. This also happened in kindergarten. We are trying to make our home stress free. We make sure he doesn't see us fight. I also have to make sure to tell him that I'm not mad at him when he misbehaves but that what he did is wrong and he needs to be punished. My DH and I both have GAD. We've agreed that if he continues to have attacks at school in 2nd grade that we will find him a pdoc.

 

[princessmom29]

First of all let me say that I am so sorry that you DD is going through this. Not child should ever have to feel this way. As an educator I have taught children with panic attacks/ anxiety issues several times over the years. I find that minimizing the situation can often do wonders in dealing with the actual attack itself. I try to remain completly calm and continually reassure the child that everything is ok. I try not to move the child having the attack, as this often increases their anxiety. We just sit still until they feel better. Sometimes it took just saying nothing and being there as a calming and stable presence. Long term we used strategies like establishing a predictable routine, and warning well ahead of time for any deviation from the norm. Talking about changes before they happen really helps and never suddenly springing anything on them. Above all making them feel secure and safe in their environment as well as allowing tem some control over what was going on seemed to be the best strategy.