Hi there Momof2bys2gls.
Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.
I'm sorry to read your son is having such a difficult time right now. I totally understand how worrying it is.
Just my personal feeling, but I think that if a child or even adult person is really anxious then no amount of punishment or removal of special items is going to make any difference. I have an anxiety problem myself and it's quite terrifying when I'm forced by other people to do things totally outside my comfort zone. On the other hand though, I often push
myself outside my comfort zone to help myself. Hard for a 6 year old to do that though. Give him lots of love and hugs and you're doing the right thing having him see a counsellor I think even if it helps you all as a family to see there will be an end to this for your son.
I went through this with my own son although he had some other issues that were affecting his enjoyment of school. i.e. Asperger's Syndrome and a tic disorder and some other things (including OC behaviours), plus he was taking a medication for a very brief period of time which seemed to make him more anxious. School became a battle zone... not a safe environment. He was also being bullied very badly!
I would wonder if something has happened at school for your son to become so anxious all of a sudden? I'd talk with the teacher/s and other staff who have contact with your son at school.
I'd also think about any new things going on at home? If you have a new baby or have moved home and he's started school around the same time... gosh heaps of things.
My son was helped a lot by a psychologist dealing with his school issues. He used to draw and make sand paintings and this seemed to allow him to express some of his feelings in a tangible way, rather than verbal.
I agree with the previous poster from last january JKelton who suggested that a child with school anxiety issues be evaluated for OCD or AS.
I wish you all the best. Keep posting and let us know more.
These sites may not be totally relevant to your son, but I shall post them just in case they offer some advice for your particular situation.
e.g.
http://www.thebalancedmind.org/learn...eslie-e-packer
Quote:
Leslie Packer PhD
School refusal is a really tough challenge, but the key to coming up with a good intervention plan is back in the assessment stage, i.e., "Why is the child refusing to go to school?" We've learned that there are a number of causes. Some kids are highly anxious, while other kids may be refusing to go to school or have school phobia due to a medication side effect.
Yet other kids who have ADHD+ may refuse to go to school or be truant because school isn't a reinforcing place and they'd rather seek excitement elsewhere. If it seems like the school refusal is anxiety-driven, the school psychologist can help develop a behavior plan to ease his entry to school. It may involve a "check-in" ritual whereby he's asked to come see her or someone in the office. A plan might involve having him help a teacher before school doing something he enjoys. One thing that helps some anxious refusers is to have a non-parent take the child to school so that the separation issues are minimized.
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http://psychcentral.com/news/2006/08...xiety/160.html
PsychCentral
Control Back-to-School Anxiety
By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx78.htm
PsychCentral
Separation Anxiety Disorder
SYMPTOMS
By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 7, 2006