Anyone else have young child with anxiety/ depression?

[bellybum]

Hi there,

My eight year old daughter 'L' suffers anxiety. She was 6 when we first sought help for it. Last year she seemed pretty good, but this year has been awful. We have been seeing a psychologist for months to no avail. Currently waiting to get in to a different one. We saw a psychiatrist a couple of weeks ago. He said she has OCD, a diagnosis I'm not entirely convinced about - we are waiting for another (cancellation) appointment to discuss medicating her. I'm reluctant to medicate, but also feel I have no choice - the treatment for anxiety/ depression/ OCD would all be the same - a mild antidepressant.

Our family is struggling to live with L. She is quick to anger, rude, snappy, defiant. Her younger sister is beginning to learn the bad behaviours, and I'm pretty sure feel sad that her big sister is mean to her all the time. We also have an 18 month old son who is growing up in a house of yellers. It's hard to distinguish between behaviour relating to the disorder(s), and simply bad behaviour. It undermines our confidence to parent how we might otherwise.

L is also clever - in the recent Year 3 NAPLAN tests she was in the top 10% across all the subjects except maths, where she was still well above average.

I'm hoping there are others on these forums who are in/ have been in the same boat, and can share their experiences - with medicating, strategies that help, perhaps some stories with a happy ending? I feel like I've failed my family. It is the most disharmonious place. I would never have imagined that a young child could cause so much unhappiness, and be so unhappy. It is just awful.

Looking forward to 'meeting' others who might help, or at least sympathise.

Thanks.

[bellybum]

Diddy - me too! I have a script now, and the medication info sheet is quite full-on. The list of possible side effects is long.

I don't want to change my daughter for the worse - but I do want her to change. I want her to be happier. I want her to learn to function well as a part of this family. I want life to be easier for her.

Sigh. Let me know how you go. I'm still unsure. I thought I was ok with giving L medication, but after an unsatisfying visit with the psychiatrist today, I'm not sure . . . . will sleep on it.

Good luck.

[Diddy]

I am so with you on this one.  -  I want her to be happy yet I'm so scared of long term and short term side effects etc.  I just feel really uneasy about "messing with young kid's brains" yet I'm pretty sure my daughter will be needing medication too.  

We visited our GP yesterday and now have a referral to visit a paediatrician  next friday.  I'm slowly getting my head around the fact that she will most likely need medication but like you, I'm going to freak out when I read about the possible side effects.

This might be a journey we are going on together Bellybum.  Just also remember that any drug for any other illnesses also has quite a long list of possible side effects too.  I'm hoping that we can both have happy and well functioning daughters in the not too distant future 🙂

[Sammij25]

Hi Bellybum.

My mr 9 (B) sounds like your L. We hit our breaking point last year in March and have never recovered.

He is always angry. He is happiest on his own with no one to talk to, he has seen all sorts of specialists but they seem more interested in handballing then helping.
His list of quirks includes sitting in the middle of the road waiting for a car to come, Trying to get out of a moving vehicle. running away. Just to list a few.

Our school psychologist told me to ring ELMHS which is similar to CAMHS. They are trying to gather information to see how to help him next.

The lady at ELMHS said they will provide me a cue sheet how to help him and if he is uncontrolable I am to call 000 and tell them we are in the ELMHS system and they will have a psychiatrist waiting to see him at emergency.

It is the loneliest feeling when your child talks like this. You get angry at the pity and frustrated with the know it alls trying to tell you how to best dicipline him.

It is a relief to find others like us.
 

[Answers01]

Hi Everyone

I have a 12 yr old daughter in similar position, on meds and wont engage in therapy, saying she wants to die and self harming. With a team in a hospital but not sure if i should seek other opinions, as she has been admitted 2 times in the last 3 months and her behavior has accelerated. 

We love her so much, if only she realized how wanted and loved she is, this will be a long journey as you have said and its so sad to see a young persons life so full of pain.

So glad for this site and you all to share with. 

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