Posted: 22 December 2009 at 1:55pm | IP Logged

Did the doctor give you information on who will teach your daughter to learn to handle her anxiety?  Is there a cognitive behavioral therapy group for children in your area?  I don't think 6 year olds are mature enough to just endure their anxiety.  Speaking from my son's experience, when my son is feeling anxious, his whole world stands still.  When anxiety consumes children, they're not able to learn, socialize, or develop.  And they're certainly not able to work on their self control!!  Here's an example.  At the town pool this summer, my son was afraid to jump into the water over his head.  I'd stand there in the pool, encouranging him to jump to my arms while he stood on land shaking and crying.  The time that he spent shaking and crying was time that he wasn't in the pool exercising his body and playing with children.  But, he was genuinely anxious and he couldn't figure out how to handle it on his own.  I used a reward system, coupled with desensitizing techniques, and by the end of the summer, he wasn't afraid to jump in the deep water; in fact he enjoyed jumping in the deep water.  It took a long time and a lot of work - and this was only one small activity that made him anxious.  Your daughter's anxiety is more generalized, so it's affecting her ability to learn, develop, grow, and be happy.  It's affecting her ability to get through the day, and interrupting your family's dynamics.  I think medication is a reasonable option.  Can you get a second opinion? 

Posted: 23 December 2009 at 12:55pm | IP Logged

No, no info to help cope with anxiety for her.  I know adults who cannot even cope so how can I expect it from my 6 yr old with IMPULSIVE adhd.  I think he thinks hers in partly behavioural but he hasn't spoken it.  I can see that he would think that, but when I see the horrified expression on her face sometimes right after she does something without thinking or blurts something out I can tell she cannot help it.  In the end how she resonds to the anxiety might be leanred behaviour (crying, asking for Mommy, pulling at her lip, etc) but her initial response to the anxiety and those first moments are critical. 

I could try to get a second opinion but I don't know who from.  I really trust this Psychiatrist who is very well known in our city, but we just seem to be missing the mark on this one. 

On a side note, I have just signed my DD up to work with an art therapist.  Maybe there is something in this that can help her.

We currently have for her:

-medication

-learning support teachers at school

-behavioral modification techniques we use

-regular visits to the psychiatrist

-Sylvan Learning Centre to help with math, reading and self confidence

-Classes with an Excellent school her that teaches coping mechanisms, self esteem, peer relations, etc.

-now starting art therapy.

Do you ever feel like what else can you possibly do????

Posted: 04 January 2010 at 1:03pm | IP Logged

My DD also has anxiety issues along with her ADHD. She takes risperdal to help with that, as well as the agression she can experience. I will admit, I was not sure if the risperdal was helping until we forgot to give on Christmas morning. We went for a hike in the woods and alls he could tlak about was spiders and whether or not it was going to flood (it was raining pretty hard).

The therapist that she goes to recommends doing what you say you are doing with your child. We just talk to her calmly and rationally to let her know that we understand she feels out of control, but that everything will be ok.

Posted: 05 January 2010 at 7:33am | IP Logged

Hello again, just wanted to give a little update on my DD.  The school break over Christmas holidays was pretty brutual.  The lack of structure, and as she says boredom only contributed to what was already her worsening behaviour.  We had company over and she has a complete meltdown - screaming, kicking/pounding on her bedroom door, etc. I just hid in the bathroom after and cried because I was so mortified and sad at the same time.  Moments like these I find myself questioning "Why?" 

We had suspected from the get-go that the bump up in Dex was partially responsible for her shift in behaviour and increase in anxiety and aggitation.  Before even seeing her Doc again we decided to decrease back to 15mg a day.  She improved by the 3rd day, though not back to how decent were the months before.  We also noticed that normally after an Dex increase a few days would pass and her appetite would come back to normal.  But not this time - it has since returned after we went down. 

She went back to school yesterday and I feel actually sick to my stomach with worry.  Will she cope, will she lose it again, will I get a phone call......   I kow the majority of you can relate.

I see so many talking about THERAPY for their ADHD child.  What type of therapy exactly???  I have listed above everything we have going for her right now, but noone has actually suggested any type of therapy - other than art therapy which we start on the 18th of this month. 

We are going to start the 1,2,3, Magic approach to discipline as well.  It is similar to what we do, (warnings and then sent to her room if she does not cooperate) but we need to master then 'no emotion and no talking' for sure.  She knows how to press my buttons and it becomes obvious she keeps pushing until she gets a reaction.

I would love to know what types of therapy your child is getting. 

Posted: 05 January 2010 at 7:38am | IP Logged

I just wanted to add that the art therapy my DD starts this month is by a registered art therapist which is not covered by our insurance company (of course) and costs $75 for 50 minutes.  She likes to see the child for a minimum of 6 sesssions.  Don't get me wrong, I am willing to try and pay for anything that would help my child.  I just don't know much about art therapy but feel we should shell out the money and try it because a few have suggested it.  (teachers mainly, and learning support teacher) I feel we are at a point that if we don't try what people suggest we "won't be doing everything we could" if you know what I mean!

Posted: 05 January 2010 at 5:32pm | IP Logged

I have to agree with what you're saying about the therapy.  Without medication NO therapy would work for my son!  I believe very strongly that if a child is severe like mine absolutely nothing works until the meds are right (at least not for long anyway!) Once my child is medicated properly then all the other tools have room to work like the occupational therapy, behavior modification techniques, etc.  I hear about some people doing behavioral therapy which sounds like a great idea but (sorry to sound like broken record) it wouldn't work unless my son was medicated.

I try to use the 1 2 3 Magic approach too.  It's a great system! It's the one technique that is the most effective with my son.  Even before he was medicated it worked once in a while when nothing else did! 

Hang in there!  I know exactly how you feel!  I've cried in more than one bathroom myself.  This is a medication issue right now and that needs to be firgured out first.  Keep at it with the doc until you get there and if you don't, then switch doctors until you do!  It WILL get better!