phobias?? | ADHD Information

Hi there - I know this is an old post, but I am hoping you
might be able to update me on how things have gone with
your child. My daughter is 9 and has adhd. She is not
currently medicated. She has recently developed an intense
phobia of bees/wasps etc. exactly as you have described.
She has never been diagnosed with any anxiety or depression
before.    She wont play outside, wears sweatshirts with
the hood up and long pants. She gets so upset if she sees
any flying bugs that she can't even function. It is going
to be a long summer.... Just wondering if anything has
helped. Have you seen a doctor or tried meds? Or any other
advice???

Hi, seems like your son is not alone!

My 9.5 yr old son (adhd and anxiety) 6 months ago was afraid of wasps.  We live in a hot part of Australia and have a swimming pool but when outside, my son was always dodging his head this way and that way to avoid wasps (which by the way could have been flies, bees or dragonflys) but to him anything that moved in the air was a wasp!  When in the pool, he was always on the lookout for wasps.

That fear has now shifted to his bedroom or simply being down the end of the hallway by himself.  He quickly grabs his clothes and gets changed away from that end of the house.

I'm not sure if this is a fear or anxiety but suddenly (within past month or so) he has become rather concerned about me (ie: always checking to make sure I'm ok, if I make a loud noise whilst cooking he gets jumpy and rushes in to make sure I'm ok).

Not sure iof this is a fear or anxiety but anyway, were seeing a specialist tomorrow about it.

Best of luck

 

Tara

My 11 year old son is bugs, any doesn't matter if they are the tiniest things or not. If one gets in the apartment he will make the cats get it and run in the other room.My son too, has phobias. He is ADHD and the phobias didn't start untill he was on concerta. He freaked out about spiders. Hyperventilating, screaming trying to climb up to the top of my head! It was the scariest thing you ever saw. When we switched him to adderall xr, they went away, almost. He is still afraid of them but no more freak outs. He can stand there and say I don't like that and wait for me to smash it. I don't know if it had to do with the meds or what, I am just glad it is over, knock on wood.Thanks for the advice....and for talking about yourself as well.  It really helps me to hear about other people with phobias.  Today Cam was not going to go outside at all and it was a kind of rainy day here where we live.   He called me at work and told me that he was going to go out and try to ride his scooter to get a movie.  And he did it!!  We were so proud of him.......he had put his bug jacket in a bag and carried it with him though in case he needed it.  God I hope we can help him get over this....I feel so bad for him.

We went camping a few weekends ago....and Cam saw a hornet fly by on the beach......he just lost it.....to me it was like he was hyperventalating.  It is so sad to see.  I wish we could find some kind of help for this. 

 

I don't know if I can help, but I'll try. I was an incredibly phobic kid, which started at three and a fear of bandages, fear of nosebleeds at six, fear of sores of any kind at seven, etc. etc. etc. It developed into panic attacks as I got older, BUT the right meds took the phobias AND the panic attacks away almost completely. I take Klonopin, which I wouldn't give to a kid (it's a benzodiazapen), but there are meds that are good for phobias. Also some disappear with age. I don't usually care for therapy, but I think cognitive behavioral therapy and therapy towards desensitation could be good for phobias. I developed a fear of passing out at age 10, when some girl passed out near me in Chorous at school, and would barely leave the house for fear of passing out, so you don't want it to get to that level. Remember, back in the dinosaur age, they had no help or not meds so I had to work it out myself. Amazingly, by age 15 the passing out fear disappeared on it's own, but turned into extreme hypochondria and panic disorder. THankfully, now I have no phobias and haven't had panic attacks for ten years. I love the book "Don't Panic" by Wilson Reid (I think that's the name). There are lots of great ways to teach your kids ways to slow down their bodies when in a panic. I hope this helped a little, from one who has been there.  My adult diagnoses, which I'm sure were the same when I was a kid are, Bipolar II, panic disorder, GAD and mild OCD (bad thoughts, not rituals). I take Paxil and Klonopin and feel great, like nothing is wrong with me at all. THank God for the age of medicine. psm090438559.4014930556My son (7 1/2) terrified of spiders and flys.  If we are at the park, he will not go down the slide because he is afraid of spiderwebs (even if there aren't any)  Someone must go down it first to "make sure" it is clear of spiderwebs.  Heaven forbid we go camping, he is a wreck !

Does anyone have a child that has specific phobias??  Our 11 yr old son has a terrible phobia of hornets and wasps.  Actually he thinks that any flying bug is a hornet.  It is very difficult because he will not go outside during the day when it is hot out.  (Cam...diagnosed with ADHD, anxieties and depression...on concerta and zoloft).  Our pediatrician is working with our mental health department in trying to find help for this??  Any advice????  It would help soooo much.  Thanks!

Cam's mom

I had a treehouse built for my son, and it is the coolest thing you have ever seen.  Well, come to find out, he has a phobia of spiders.  HE WON'T GO IN THE TREEHOUSE BECAUSE THERE ARE SPIDERS!!!  I told him recently that I was going to take it over--it was going to become a Moroccon retreat for moi.  And he said, "O.K." .  Now, I'll tell you what will happen.  I will take it over, it will be very cool, and he will want it.  TOO BAD!

P.S.  My son has anxiety, as well. 

hi...

Yes, my son is very afraid of dandelions and any flying insects. If he is busy outside he is fine but if he is just outside, he literally becomes hysterical. He's on focalin and I figure he gets focused on it and can't let it go just as he sometimes gets focused on other things and can't let them go.
It is hard but I think it is part of ADHD.

Thanks for the replies.  Can I ask "silly mom"  what is focalin??  How long has your son had the fear of flying insects??  Cam has had this phobia for two summers now......it is difficult.

Cam's mom

Focalin is an ADHD med that uses one part of ritalin. My son has had the fear for only the last 2 summers and he is 6.We go to an ADHD specialist who is very up on all the current meds. He told me 3 months ago that the FocalinXR would be out this month and it is.
My son has been on it for 3 months and id doing good other than the bug problem.

Thanks....is your son on any other meds??  Our son has started to do better with alot of things....very tiny baby steps...but at least they are positive steps.  It is just this hornet phobia now that we are struggling with.  For his depression, it is important for him to get outside and have some physical activity...the fresh air would also help his appetite...(which is not very good lately)....but he will not go out during the day......when he sees a hornet or bee...he is just out of control....he even runs from the house to our van....and shuts the door very quickly thinking a hornet might come in the van.  It is so hard.

 

Hello...Cam is on concerta, but the phobia with the hornets started before he was on medication.  Today he barely went outside....only from the house to the van.  Me and him went and played squash tonight at our recreation complex.....at least he got some physical activity indoors.  I am so worried about school in September.....it is still warm out then....and I am worried he will not want to go outside??