Anxiety in a 7 year old

[Fred35]

Hi,  Although my 7 year old daughter is bright and outgoing in familliar situations she is scared of everything new, we have to tell repeatedly her our route when going on a journey - including length of time on each road, or else she panics (although seems a bit better now we have sat nav).  She cry's everytime we park the car in a car park fearing a crash (She has not been involved or witnessed a crash other than when I had a small bang when she was 6 months old but I would not have thought she would remember that). If we go on an outing she cannot enjoy herself no matter what we are doing as she is worrying over what will happen next and if we have not planned the whole day out in advance she becomes fustrated, distruptive and upset.  Since she was 2 1/2 she has had problems going to the toilet, at least once a month she is making herself constipated and dirtying her knickers as she is scared of going to the toilet.  We are at our wits end, we have seen improvements, since we bought a small dog she is no longer hyperventilating everytime she sees an animal, and she can walk down the road without flinching everytime a car passes, but we are so worried about her anxieties especially as she is shortly due to do her SATS, and although she is very bright, and we are not worried weather she does well or not (all we want is for her enjoy her time at school), she has already started to mention them (she did not sleep for a week before her first spelling test at school and cryed constantly).  Her younger brother and sister are both fearless and very outgoing, so the only thing we can think of is either that she is just a born worrier or that her stress is a result of the changes that happend in her life before they were born, we moved house and towns when she was 18 months old (prior to this she was fearless) and within the following year she had to move nursery's twice and her sister was born (her brother came 2 years after that). It was around this point that her toilet problems began and the fears began to develope thick and fast.   The question is has anyone else overcome these types of problems, and how can we help her through her fears and limit their affect on her and the family?

[jdtm]

I suspect your daughter suffers from GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder).  Both my sister and mother suffer from this same disorder.  My sister got help early in her life and leads a normal (if there is such a thing) life today.  My mother does not believe in mental health issues or support and received no help.  Today she is a reclusive person and leads a very lonely life where she constantly worries over anything and everything.  It is not a pretty sight and it gets worse as the years pass.

Anxiety is a medical condition and your daughter will need treatment to help her learn to manage her fears.  You did not cause this; nor can you control it or cure it.  Your daughter will not outgrow this nor will her fears go away.  Treatment could involve intervention, therapy and/or medication.  And yes, with proper treatment a person can learn to "manage" one's fears, as in my sister's case.  Please see a medical professional with experience in anxiety disorders as a child pediatrician, or child psychiatrist or psychologist for help.  By the way, anxiety is highly treatable and the earlier the diagnosis, the better the prognosis.  I wish you the best ...

[Fred35]

Thanks for this it helps and re-assures. We have contacted our health visitor and are waiting for her to get back from leave so we can arrange an appointment with a Child Psychologist (our Doctor is not much cop with emotional issues unforunately).  Thanks again.

[theresa108]

My 7 year old daughter might also suffer from anxiety.  The guidance office at her school recommended several couselors, and an anxiety clinic for children at a local university.    Good luck.

[raymoe]

Anxiety appears obvious, but the reason may be overlooked if you yourself Fred are an anxious person. A good solution is to build up her (and maybe yours too) SELF CONFIDENCE.,,, Entice her to believe that she is as good as anyone else, and much better than some....Regards UK Ray.

[MRSJACKSON]

My daughter is going to be 7 in march . We have had great loss in our family in the last couple of years , and they have effected her more than i thought . She is a very smart ,tall and mature looking 6yr.old so people expect more from her ! She has adapted very well for the most part . Last night she started banging on her head w/her hand, saying " please just make me normal again " . i nearly **** my pants ! i thought she was going crazy !!!!!!  She continued to tell me how she didn't know what was wrong but she didn't  feel right . How she knew in her brain but she could not make it come out of her mouth .  She said she was very sad and didn't know what to do w/ herself
so she had to cry . Her teacher had heard a lot about her from others because she is very smart ,but in conferences told me how disappointed she was  w/ her work. I guess  in summery, it will be one yr in march that my mother past , Three yrs. on the 23rd. of dec. my dad past . Her other grandpa died halloween day ,and her other gram wont see 2008 . She is very  sad   HELP WHAT DO I DO !!!!!!! My conclusion i she is having anxiety attacks , or panic attacks . am i right ? She was extremly close to these people . She even explains to me how death means birth . She is really an amazing child ! But she is 6 .

[jdtm]

Our granddaughter was diagnosed with severe anxiety at six years of age.  She also was diagnosed with depression.  Please read the second paragraph of my posting in this thread (11/19/07) and seek help for your daughter.  If your daughter had a broken leg you would take her to the doctor; the same holds true when her chemical imbalance in the brain is broken.  By the way, our granddaughter is doing so well today.  

[MRSJACKSON]

Thank you , This is really on my mind something awfull . I don't want to make any mistakes . Thanks again !