12 Year old with GAD. Help!

[brandy16]

Hi,

my 12 year old step daughter has recently been diagnosed with autism and severe generalised anxiety disorder. She won't go to school as she has panic attacks and feels anxious leaving her mother. Her education is severely suffering and I'm worried she will be held back which will make her anxiety worse. I am trying to find support for her. I have suffered from anxiety myself so I do understand how she is feeling but I am so worried that if help is not found for her she will just get worse and not be able to enjoy her teens. 

Thanks

[Chris_B]

Hi brandy16,

Sorry to hear your daughter is going through this. At least you have a diagnosis to make things clearer, and your own experiences to be able to help her as well as empathise with her feelings - that's a good start.

I've found a couple of links that may be useful to you.  They refer to autism and anxiety in younger children, but they do talk about what you can do, what treatment styles are helpful, and refer specifically to separation anxiety issues.

The first is a short factsheet by Australian developmental psychologist Dr Avril Brereton at Monash University.  Some of the language is a little clinical, but it's a good start, and will give you some things to discuss with your daughter's doctor: http://www.med.monash.edu.au/spppm/research/devpsych/actnow/download/factsheet45.pdf

The second is a blog entry from the website Autism Speaks, written by Dr Jeffrey Wood, a California psychologist who specialises in working with children with autism: http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2012/11/16/managing-anxiety-children-autism

There is also the Autism Advisory & Support Service in Australia which is run by parents of children with autism: http://www.aass.org.au/index.html - they have a support phone line, and groups for parents in NSW only, but may be able to direct you toward in-person peer support in other states.

Take care, and please stay in touch to let us know how your daughter is going.

Can other parents provide brandy16 with any advice please?

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Online Community Manager

[geoff]

dear Chris, these new links that you are providing are a great attribute for people with particular illness's and I wonder whether they could somehow be incorporated onto this site, maybe as an extra in 'the facts' section from above.

dear Brandy, where I live in gippsland there is a special school that caters for children requiring special needs, but I don't know what state you are in, however google this 'give me a list for special schools for children with mental problems', or 'give me a list for special schools for children with special needs', or mention your state and then google them.

The other option is to contact your council and local community centre, they should be able to guide you in the right direction if not help you.

I would be curious as to how you get on. Geoff.