OT: does your child cry easily?

[triplefigs]

My DS has anxiety disorder, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, SID, language processing delays, and numerous medical issues. When he is frustrated or upset, he cries very easily. He also tends to whine. He takes several meds including ones for the anxiety (BuSpar) and ADHD (Strattera). He starts Kindergarten in the fall, and I don't want him to be teased. He has a hard enough time as is.

Anyone have tips or info that I could use to help him?

 

[BeccaGrace]

Becca also cries easily, often because she is frustrated or upset that she can't communicate her needs. I was worried about it when she started school but have found her classmates to be very empathetic and protective of her when she has a hard time. Younger kids are so intuitive about what the other kids are feeling and if reminded on how they would feel in the same situation are usually very quick to take care of another's feelings. Hopefully he will have some of the same kids in his class every year so that when they get older and cattier they will already be close to him and not take part in any of the cruel behavior that kids seem to pick up along the way

Will your triplets all be in the same class? Or does your son know anyone in his new class (I believe you mentioned they were moving from a private pre-school to a public kindergarten?) If not, maybe you can meet up with some of the kids from his new class during the summer so he can get to know them a little bit better so the change won't be as overwhelming.

Also--is he going to summer school as part of his IEP? That could help get him used to the new environment before the regular school year begins. Or maybe they will let him sit in on a session before the school year ends so he sees how fun it is and spends the summer looking forward to the new start.

Make sure the teachers and/or aides are aware of how anxious he gets (it's likely included in your IEP but make sure they know the extent of things) and let them know signs to look out for that might tip them off that he might be getting upset. They might be able to separate him from an upsetting situation before the other kids realize anything is wrong.

If I think of anything else I'll post it--these were just the things that popped in my head when I saw your post. It's so hard starting them in a new environment and not being able to be there to help if needed--
--Sara

 

[triplefigs]

Becca also cries easily, often because she is frustrated or upset that she can't communicate her needs. I was worried about it when she started school but have found her classmates to be very empathetic and protective of her when she has a hard time. Younger kids are so intuitive about what the other kids are feeling and if reminded on how they would feel in the same situation are usually very quick to take care of another's feelings. Hopefully he will have some of the same kids in his class every year so that when they get older and cattier they will already be close to him and not take part in any of the cruel behavior that kids seem to pick up along the way

Will your triplets all be in the same class? Or does your son know anyone in his new class (I believe you mentioned they were moving from a private pre-school to a public kindergarten?) If not, maybe you can meet up with some of the kids from his new class during the summer so he can get to know them a little bit better so the change won't be as overwhelming.

Also--is he going to summer school as part of his IEP? That could help get him used to the new environment before the regular school year begins. Or maybe they will let him sit in on a session before the school year ends so he sees how fun it is and spends the summer looking forward to the new start.

Make sure the teachers and/or aides are aware of how anxious he gets (it's likely included in your IEP but make sure they know the extent of things) and let them know signs to look out for that might tip them off that he might be getting upset. They might be able to separate him from an upsetting situation before the other kids realize anything is wrong.

If I think of anything else I'll post it--these were just the things that popped in my head when I saw your post. It's so hard starting them in a new environment and not being able to be there to help if needed--
--Sara

Thanks, Sara. I don't know about summer school. His IEP meeting is on May 15. They will be separated, and we don't know any other K going to the new school (they have been in private pre-school). The summer therapy would be great so that he's more comfortable in the new environment. They are very aware of his anxiety. At the 2nd half of his testing he was extremely anxious and cried. It was a blessing in disguise. I was worried they'd want him in a self-contained classroom, but just the opposite. They are recommending mainstream classroom and not pulled out for anything except OT. The OT is so he can work one on one. He has CP and tested in the 1% for fine motor skills. She is recommending him not be pulled out for any resource at all, but instead the resource teacher come to him in class and adjust all work there. They said him getting pulled out would make him more anxious, and that it would be too upsetting, hard to transition. so the Anxiety was a blessing for us. He qualified for everything, PT, OT, speech, resource, and aide to come help. I'm hoping the IEP meeting goes smoothly as DH and I think their suggestions are right on.

I'm glad her friends are empathetic to her at school. My DS hasn't been invited to parties this year because of the panic attacks and crying. It is much better on the BuSpar. We actually see his Dev. Ped today, and we will discuss it some more.

Appreciate the input!

 

[BeccaGrace]

I'm glad her friends are empathetic to her at school. My DS hasn't been invited to parties this year because of the panic attacks and crying.

That just breaks my heart It's one thing for him not wanting to go or feeling upset and leaving early but to not even invite him...that is just so sad and wrong. I can't even imagine how hard that must be for you as a mom

Good luck at your IEP meeting. Our district has been absolutely wonderful. I've heard some horror stories but it sounds like we've both lucked out with helpful child study teams--must be the pixie dust!

 

[triplefigs]

That just breaks my heart It's one thing for him not wanting to go or feeling upset and leaving early but to not even invite him...that is just so sad and wrong. I can't even imagine how hard that must be for you as a mom

Good luck at your IEP meeting. Our district has been absolutely wonderful. I've heard some horror stories but it sounds like we've both lucked out with helpful child study teams--must be the pixie dust!

Thanks. It is hard. I'm hoping with a good IEP, meds, therapy, and a new school that this will be a fresh start for Rees. It's harder because my other 2 are social butterflies and get invited to everything. Luckily, Rees is such a happy kid that he doesn't even notice!

I did luck out on my IEP team. The same evaluator that did Rees, I've hear horror stories about. But for us, she's been incredible. In fact, I asked her about going to Disney in Sept and missing school for a week. She said since Rees has anxiety and goes through so much, he absolutely needs to go when it is low crowds. She has the authority to excuse him for the weeek and has authorized our trip. Talk about PD!

 

[BeccaGrace]

In fact, I asked her about going to Disney in Sept and missing school for a week. She said since Rees has anxiety and goes through so much, he absolutely needs to go when it is low crowds. She has the authority to excuse him for the weeek and has authorized our trip. Talk about PD!

That's wonderful! I've been having issues trying to plan our next trip (dh gave me the green light for '07!) because I don't want to take her out of school because she has learning delays/retention issues. The funny thing is that she never spoke a word at school until we went to WDW in December and when we got back she told her teacher, "I see Belle." Maybe I can swing a theory of Disney as speech therapy to get an authorized trip as well?

 

[IAMJESSICARABBIT]

hi

we have a 7yo DS with cp
he is verbal (to much talks back now) and he is in 1st grade in public school
he uses his walker in school but wc for long dist like disney
we leave tomorow 9am for a week at disney with him and his new 4 month old brother!!!!

he has adhd and crys easy
hes has been on aderal xr for about a year and it helps with the adhd
started mid kindergraten this year about 3 months ago he started prozac for anxity just .5 mg super low dose
it helped with his easy to anger or cry he still does start to cry but he can stop it he can control it much better also being a big brother now helps he feels like he wants to be more of a big kid not like the baby!

he went to the last year of pre k at this school and started k at the same school with most of the same kids wich helped they are verrt protective of him and helpfull and few of the girls like him lol

having a good aid helped he has had the same guy for 2 years now and hes tuff on him wich is what he needs or he walks all over people
make shure you meet the aid 1st and are conforatable with him/her

also i forgot the prozac helped with a habit he ahd of biting his nails/cuticls and pciking at his skin its much better the doc said its like a sub concious thing he couldnt stop on his own

good luck were off to disney with his grandma and pop coming to but he dosnt know its a supprise

scott and jessie

 

[SueM in MN]

My youngest DD has cerebral palsy, ADD and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). She is a young adult, but has cried (and laughed) easily and kind of uncontrollably her whole life. She has gotten better at controlling it with time. One of the ways her neurologist explained it is that she has damage to the part of her brain that inhibits/controls emotion. When she feels a strong emotion that would cause tears or laughter - she has trouble with controlling the intensity of her emotion. The same thing happens to some people after a stroke - they may laugh or cry very easily and have a difficult time stopping (even though they want to). Over time, my Dd has been able to get more control over her emotions. She's also gotten better at knowing what will cause her to "lose it" and telling us before that happens. For example, she knows that she can't handle her dad putting her on the bus for school, so she tells him to stay inside.

 

[loadsapixiedust]

Sue you just said all the things I was about to Our DS has CP and the crying is one of the hardest things to deal with especially as they get older (he is almost 14) My late DMIL was exactly the same after her stroke. We find he (and we) can anticipate the situations which will be tricky a bit better now and avoid them mostly. Going to the cinema can be a hard one, he cries so easily at films. Goodbyes are always a tough one too.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sue you just said all the things I was about to Our DS has CP and the crying is one of the hardest things to deal with especially as they get older (he is almost 14) My late DMIL was exactly the same after her stroke. We find he (and we) can anticipate the situations which will be tricky a bit better now and avoid them mostly. Going to the cinema can be a hard one, he cries so easily at films. Goodbyes are always a tough one too.

I'm glad to hear someone else has the same situation.
Crying is the worst to deal with (at least laughing sounds happy). The crying makes everyone feel so helpless (and some people judge her intellect based on her crying (ie - babies cry, so she must be like a baby).