how to deal with my as sons anxiety

[karenninny]

Hello I have a 10 year old son that has aspergers syndrome.  He get so upset when he is teased and when he gets scared.  He also gets vey nervous about the weather and if its bad he runs from window to window to make sure everything is ok he makes sure we call all of the family to make sure they are ok and he takes all of his prized possessions into the hallway.  He gets so upset about these things that his belly hurts and he can't eat for hours and usually complains of a headache shortly after.  He also has ADHD and is taking concerta 36 mg for that and to help him sleep he takes 3 mg of meletonin at night.  Is there anything that I should talk to his pediatrition about as far as the anxiety any suggestions of what meds are out there and or what I can do to alleviate the stress for him.  

[isthiscp]

Hi, just to let you know you are not alone! My son is still awaiting diagnosis for aspergers but has been diagnosed with hyperactivity disorder. He isnt on any meds but like your son is a very nervous child(he is almost nine) He also has a lot of tummy aches and has regular yeast infections(which present on his head) I think this is the cause of the tummy aches. By the way, yeast infections are very common in boys with aspergers, more so than in the normal populace. I have heard that the meds can give tummy ache(not sure about this maybe the other posters can help!) And to that effect I have heard that because a lot of the meds can be amphetamine could this be causing his anxiety, just a thought!

[MJIthewriter]

With the being teased, I went through some rough teasing. Thinking back I couldn't tell the difference between playful teasing or mean teasing, so I got upset about both..

There seemed to be a few boys that were especially mean. They'd insult me, but sometimes they would "tag" me and run... I chased after them.. I guess that was appropriate behavior for a 3rd grader?  

Only my mood wasn't really that happy... Sometimes I took it as a challenge, but on bad days I took it as an insult, especially boys randomly tagging me which I really didn't like... It didn't make sense because they'd say I have "germs"... I would think you wouldn't touch something with germs and then tag someone else saying now they have the "germs"

I couldn't figure out the logic behind the game...honestly...  Other times it was clear bullying.
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With the food, it could be a sensitivity or an allergy.  See if there's any foods that trigger GERD and reduce those.

[Sally44]

If either of your sons are getting alot of yeast infections (mine does too), then have you asked to be referred to a nutricianist.  Cutting down on sugar and using probiotics can help.  You can also check to see if it is one of the side effects of the meds.
My son also gets very bad stomache pains and the doctor told me it was abdominal migraines.  So apparently you can get them in your head or in your abdomain.
I think having irrational fears for friends/relatives comes under OCD, but in this case his fear of storms may not be 'irrational'.  Have you tried drawing all the curtains and putting on something like classical music?  You could also use social stories to talk about storms.  If the noise bothers him you could get some DIY ear defenders that he could wear to screen out some of the noise.
When your son gets very anxious is there anything that helps eg. firm hugs/massage.  Or if he has alot of energy and bounces on the furniture you could buy a small exercise trampette.
Regarding teasing at school.  Is it happening during school or is it after school ie. walking home.  That may give you some other ideas of how to help eg. can he buddy up with someone between classes or to/from school.  Do they have any systems in school like 'Circle of Friends' or dinnertime clubs that he could go to.  If the school don't have anything then I think they should, especially for those on the spectrum because 'social times' are the most difficult time of the day for them.  At least in class they are trying to follow some kind of structure.  During dinnertime/playtime they are not supported.   I think it is worth raising your concerns with school because if he is getting so upset that is going to show itself in school.

[SueNYC]

MY son was being teased alot.  We put him in a school designed for children with all sorts of disorders that would lead to teasing.  He is so happy there.  Might not be the right choice for everyone - but since we have been there he is medication free.