Children with anxiety

DD is 3.5 and struggling with fright/anxiety in situations that used to not bother her. I'm looking for advice/strategies/interventions from any BTDT or pros. TIA

Re: Children with anxiety

I have no advice for you but we are dealing with the same thing. Ds1 has been like this for about a year now. He has varied With the things that make him anxious over the sat year but has remained consistent with the excessive nail biting and other physical reactions to his anxiety. Right now he is obsessive over bugs. He needs to know where they are before he does anything especially outside. He won't even play because he's so focused on where the bugs are.
We were going to speak to a psychologist but we were told he was really to young and all they would do is give us ways to handle him.
We have decided to get him evaluated through our SD to see if there is anything else going on.

I was told by our Ped a year ago that this is normal at that age because they actually develop fear and they get anxious over irrational things such as making sure there is enough gas in the car etc

If your concerned I would talk to your Ped

Re: Children with anxiety

Re: Children with anxiety

DS has anxiety. Most of it do to his sensory issues. He is 4 now and getting better dealing with it. Usually he doesn't like singing stuffed animals or robotic type toys. SOme he eventually gets ok with and loves, but the stuffed animals is tough. A lot of times I have to explain to him it doesn't sing or we shut it off.
He talks himself down saying, "It's just a toy. It's ok."
His speach and OT teachers help a lot too and he's doing great.
He also does not like a lot of foods so instead of forcing it I say to tell us how he feels. He will respond with usually an no thank you, I don't like that.
Now I try to help with the anxiety like kiss the food, touch it, etc.
He used to be bad with getting a haircut or Doctor appts. He's obsessed with taking videos on the phone so when he is good I tell him I will video him doing something he usually fears and if he is ok he watches it. Now he loves to get a haircut bc he watches an older video of himself getting a cut then I take a new video and can't wait to watch it. I mix something he fears with something he loves. I tell him to explain what he fears. Used to be tough bc he has expressive delays, but that is getting soooo much better.
FM if you have more questions.

Re: Children with anxiety

Posted by LulaBell

Posted by VTTG0609

I have no advice for you but we are dealing with the same thing. Ds1 has been like this for about a year now. He has varied With the things that make him anxious over the sat year but has remained consistent with the excessive nail biting and other physical reactions to his anxiety. Right now he is obsessive over bugs. He needs to know where they are before he does anything especially outside. He won't even play because he's so focused on where the bugs are.
We were going to speak to a psychologist but we were told he was really to young and all they would do is give us ways to handle him.
We have decided to get him evaluated through our SD to see if there is anything else going on.

I was told by our Ped a year ago that this is normal at that age because they actually develop fear and they get anxious over irrational things such as making sure there is enough gas in the car etc

If your concerned I would talk to your Ped

Thank you for your response. I think some of my daughter's reactions are normal, but others are extreme. I spoke with the ped and he said I could contact the school district for testing, but didn't seem convinced there was a problem. I'm just unsure how to proceed

Message edited 6/11/2013 2:13:59 PM.

Re: Children with anxiety

my DS is 3.5 and hates loud noises. if i even touch a vacuum he will flip the f*ck out and i have to calm him down. he used to hate the hair dryer too but now hes ok with it as long as its on low. he also doesn't like the hand dryers in bathrooms or automated toilet flushers...he'd rather hold in his pee then sit on it.

he also started getting scared of tiny ants...but the more i explain hes bigger than them and they're more afraid of him....the better that's getting.

but i thought he may have a sensory issue with the noises...but he will even hold the hair dryer now and turn it on himself. so i think its getting better. the ped said hes still young and wait and see. when i ask why he's scared of the vacuum he just says he doesn't like the noise.

he used to be scared of face paint and hats...but hes over that now. i think to an extent its normal...it just depends on if they show signs of growing out of it.

Children with anxiety

Thank you all for your stories. I will be FMing over the next few days!