anxiety in children

[angel1999]

Wow! I have to say how nice it is to know you are not a freak and that other people have this horrible problem.  I can go back as far as 7 years of age and remember having anxiety,  It's so sad to think a child would have to deal with such a thing.  I now take Lexapro and feel alot better. Not 100% but I guess as good as it's gonna get for me.  I recently noticed alot of anxiety signs in my 9 year old daughter.  It's apparently something you can pass on to your children. (Can't even tell you how much it rips my heart out to know I gave this to my child) But it has affected her at school so her doctor prescribed Prozac. I have not even picked up the prescription yet. Going to call a child therapist and get her in as soon as they have an available time, But wondering if anyone can tell me their experience with Lexapro verses Prozac or does anyone else have a child dealing with this?????? Just don't know what to do.  I just want my little girl to be ok.......    

[angel1999]

Thank You for writing to me, I really appreciate your kindness and words of advice.  I do think I will hold off on the medication, and just get her to a psychiatrist first, she just keeps coming home from school and telling me she suddenly gets dizzy then sick to her stomach then feels like she can't breathe.  All things that are all to familiar to me and I just want her to feel normal.  What a horrible thing anxiety is !! Thank You for your Kind words, You really made me feel better.

[toejam_muncher]

i've taken  a lot of meds and i believe at one point i was on lexapro...but can't remember how it worked. as far as your daughter goes...i'd make sure she sees a good children's psychiatrist before putting her on meds. the reason is because if i were a parent, it would be easy for me to fear my child going through what i went through and finding symptoms where there may not be any. i'm not saying that's what you've done...but it can happen and if it does, drugs would do more harm than good. there's no doubt anxiety disorders can run in family's. mine is the perfect example of that. i remember having anxiety as far back as i can remember...5 or 6...but it was in phases and wasn't diagnosed and i don't think at that time i really needed to be on meds. it's hard to say whether it's simply 'growing pains' or if it really is a disorder...which is why a good psychiatrist would really help. also, don't blame yourself for passing anything on to your kid. i'm sure you're happy you were born and don't blame your mom at all for passing anxiety on to you...so you shouldn't do that to yourself. it's actually better that you have issues with anxiety, because if your daughter does also...that will make you a much more understanding and aware parent than many people with anxiety get. best of luck to you.