Anxiety Disorders in Children Support Group
Childhood","This community is for parents and caregivers of children who exhibit signs of anxiety. Anxiety refers to a complex combination of negative emotions that includes fear, apprehension and worry, and is often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, nausea, chest pain and/or shortness of breath."
i have a 13 yr old son who has been diagnosed with anxiety and aDHD/the inattentive type. he enjoys playing his sports and playing with his friends (thank goodness), but has always struggled with school and it has now escalted to him refusing to go or do any school work. he always had an underlying fear/phobia of school but has made efforts to go. we are now on day #8 of refusing to go. he has made it for 5 days and stayed for 3 periods (he is in middle school). recently we have put him on klonopin at the recommondation of his psychiatrist, we take him 2 x per week to see his therapist who does CBT with him, which in the past has been very effective. while we were very, very resistance to meds, we saw no other option. has anyone else had any expereince with the med? expereicne with children refusing to go to school? he is in 2nd year of middle school and he was upset when his good friend was not in his class, thats how it started. hes not being bullied, he is well liked by his peers, he just feels so alone because he claims he has no friends in his class. school is the only area where he struggles with anxieyt. he also refuses to do any school work, because he claims he his not good enough. we have him with tutors which also went well,but for some reason this year things have turned for the worse.
here is the letter:
Dear Teacher,
I am writing you this letter to make you aware of my sons current medical condition and how you can help and accommodate him.
Thank you
IMPACT OF PANIC DISORDER ON STUDENTS
Panic attacks and Panic Disorder can have severely debilitating consequences for the student:
Some students avoid school or will refuse to go to school because of heightened anxiety that they will experience a panic attack in school. Anxiety over having a panic attack can also limit the student socially as they may become reluctant to leave home or go out into settings where they will not have support if they should experience a panic attack. Thus, children and teens with Panic Disorder may develop situational avoidance or phobias about certain settings. In severe cases, the student may develop agoraphobia a phobic response to going outdoors or out of their home. Panic Disorder is also associated with a higher risk of Major Depression.
In school, anxiety over having a panic attack as well as a panic attack itself may significantly impair the students ability to concentrate in class. While you are trying to talk about history or teach new skills, the student is feeling her heart racing and pounding, and may be afraid that shes about to die or have a heart attack and wont be able to get help. Panic attacks and anxiety about having a panic attack can also interfere with concentration during tests, and both may contribute to fatigue and poor stamina.
Peers may not fully comprehend the involuntary nature of the panic attack because its so irrational and they may respond critically to the child or teen who may be in a state of near-hysteria.
ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH PANIC DISORDER
The most important thing you, as the teacher, can do is to create an emotionally safe and supportive environment for the student. By reassuring the students that you understand their problem and that you will work with them to give them accommodations and to make the class as non-anxious for them as possible, you reduce their anxiety, and that does help. Other specific accommodations or strategies to consider:
When the student is not having a panic attack, speak with the student and collaborate as to where the student feels safest sitting and how they can quietly leave the classroom or excuse themselves to some predetermined safe place if they are feeling panicky or highly anxious.
Consider giving the student a permanent pass so that they can just quickly leave the classroom without having to interrupt your lesson or ask for permission.
If a student is having a panic attack, it is probably safest for you not to try to restrain the child or to stop them from leaving the classroom. I was involved in one case where staff who had never been trained in Panic Disorder tried to stop a very hefty teenage boy from leaving the classroom when he had a panic attack. The boy, who was convinced he was going to lose consciousness, wanted to call 911 or reach his mother. His teacher tried to stop him, with predictable results: the student punched the teacher to get him out of the way, and then raced out of the building and literally ran miles through the city to get to his home. Although the students panic attack might not have been avoidable at that point, the escalation to physical assault and having a student running through the city was avoidable.
If the student has developed a situational avoidance or phobia of a certain setting, you may have to negotiate whether to excuse the student from that setting. If the student is in therapy for the Panic Disorder, see if you can get the therapist to advise you as to whether youd be enabling the student by excusing them from certain settings or if the therapist feels that would be an appropriate accommodation or support.
Do have an agreed-upon place that the student can go to if he is having a panic attack. If you decide to use the nurses office, you may wish to pre-arrange with the nurse that she will call you to let you know when the student comes to her office.
If the student needs to leave class or cant get to class due to a panic attack, provide hard copies of any missed notes.
Consider flexible scheduling of important exams as well as breaks during tests and testing in a quieter location.
there are not many support groups for those parents going through this. like my biggest thing was if they don't go to school do you punish them? not allow them to play with their friends? not allow them to go to their soccer game? take away their video games, iphones, etc. They really cannot control what they are feeling and you can see the struggle in their faces. it just kills me to see him struggle with this everyday. i am also seeing a therapist just to help me deal with this so that i don't do or say the wrong thing which can make it worse for him. seeing her does help me a lot.
i feel for you too and all those other families going through the same ordeal. its certainly not easy but we are doing the best we can and can only pray that our kids can pull through this and become successful !!!!
I will keep in touch and pray for your family.
He also recommended that I change my sons diet.. he said to buy the book "Grain Brain" and there is also a "Grain Brain Recipe Cookbook"
He said stay away from Caffein, sugars, grains, gluten and milk.
Maybe you would like to research this and give it a try.
Hope you and you family are doing well.