My 9 year old ds has always been anxious. On and off anxiety regarding just about everything. You name it, it's probably been an issue. We started seeing simple facial motor tics a few months ago. His anxiety is very distressing to him and we also started therapy 2 months ago but I'm really not seeing it help.
I'm just looking for support here. Someone who's BTDT and who has gotten their child through it or they themselves have overcome it. His therapist says his(ds's) anxiety is bordering on OCD. I'm guessing it IS OCD but he just doesn't want to throw that at us yet.
Right now he's worried about us leaving him at children's church and not picking him up. We go to a huge church of over 10K members so the kids service is quite chaotic. He has been having anticipatory anxiety about this weekend's church service for days now. He cries about 3 times a day about it. We've been trying all the CBT stuff the therapist says to try but it's really not working. I mean, I guess it works for the moment but it always comes back. We have him on some supplements like B6, taurine, and amino acids to help. I think they've helped with some of the OCD type anxiety but not with this kind of anxiety yet.
Anyway, I'm at my wits end. I just don't know how I'm going to get through another 10 years of an anxious child! I wish he had the cognitive development to at least be able to apply some of what he's learning in therapy. He just hasn't learned how to redirect himself yet. He wallows in the anxiety and lets it take over his mind and just cries about it, instead of talking himself through it or redirecting himself. Obviously, we cue him to do these things but it's really draining on all of us!

Any suggestions??? many thanks!

Hi
intense OCD with tics can be symptoms of Tourette Syndrome ...or even PANDAS. Has you child had any strep or even exposure to strep without necessarily exhibiting classic strep throat symptoms?

my son has Tourette with OCD and anxiety. He has found dietary changes really helpful (many chemical/artificial additives to foods trigger OCD and tics for him) and he also takes special supplements that have helped, and he did a course of Cognitive Behavioral therapy that was also helpful.
He is 18yo now and doing really well. But back in the prepubertal years it was very debilitating for him

I really understand how you are feeling as my child's OCD/anxiety have always been far more troubling to him than his tics.

without knowing more about your child's dx, meds etc I dont want to mention any specific supplements etc that have helped mine

just want to encourage you though that there are ways to improve things like anxiety/OCD

He has always been anxious. The tics started back in November, he had strep in late January of this year. The OCD worries started in April. I thought PANDAs started right away after a strep infection.
I'm at my wit's end! I have heard inositol can help and that GABA can help but my naturo hasn't returned my calls to let me know if I can give it to him yet!

Hi
I sure know how hard it is to deal with such high anxiety and OCD in a child!

re PANDAS, no, it doesnt always manifest directly after strep infection and once a child is affected, even exposure to strep can trigger a "flare"

it may be wise to have strep antibody blood titres run just to be sure.

My son has successfully used GABA for anxiety (short term) and has been taking Inositol for many years now to help his OCD

thanks, Chemar~!
We went to the naturopath as he is on some taurine, B6, and another helpful amino acid. The only thing is: I'm not seeing it reducing his tics. He takes the kid's calm at night and some epsom salts baths when I can get him to do it! I have just purchased the Calm with magnesium, calcium, and zinc now b/c his naturo said his calcium was low(she did an in-office urine test). So, I need to check with her to see if I can add inositol for the OCD or some extra taurine for the tics! I feel like my kid is an experiment! But, I'm hoping some positive changes will come out of this!

Hi Momtogrif, I have recovered from anxiety. I feel like I have some good insight into it. What is BTDT? Do either you or his dad suffer from anxiety?

my daughter who is 8 has the facial tics for a while now....the calmer I am ..and act like I dont notice the better I think she is....
hugsss and good luck, sarah

BTDT means been there, done that!

Hmm, my dh has issues and has had them since childhood. I think he has different stuff that borders on phobias, he hates everything and everyone, etc. He is anxious in a different way: like he's doom and gloom about the world but he doesn't 'worry' the way we'd speak of it and he didn't suffer from 'anxiety' as a child. He had some LD's and was ADHD. I wasn't an anxious person until I met and married my dh. AFter a few years with him, I started picking up on his 'glass half empty' attitude and I fight it daily. I also think my dh suffers from depression as does most of his family. They are all on some sort of antidepressant of some kind!
Hey, any insight you have would be well received!

Hi Momtogrif, after I have recovered from anxiety I understand now how I developed it. I feel that most emotional disorders that we develop (not schizophrenia or bipolar, etc.) occur because of development that didn't go well because of our environment when we were children. Therefore, with your son's case I would suggest that he feels anxiety because he does not feel secure due to your's and your husband's anxieties. Think about it, our children read us very well and pick up on our anxieties (my children picked up on mine and it did affect them). Our children feel secure if they are in a secure environment. Any insecurities that we feel are amplified for our children because they do not have the thinking abilities or coping mechanisms of an adult. The whole point of me directing you to the source is that is where real recovery will occur. You can treat a child until you are blue in the face but if you correct the source of the problem you really resolve the issues. I am of the opinion that almost all child therapy must center on the parents because they are the real power brokers in the situation. The parents must change the environment that the child is experiencing. I feel that this is the best way to help the child. I also feel that parents need to approach this with an open mind. I understand how our immediate reflex is to protect our own egos and not want to really look at ourselves.

What are LD's?

LD's are Learning Disabilities. Well, my dh is the anxious one and the one who blows EVERYTHING out of proportion and I don't see him changing any time soon! He isn't anxious like in having nervous energy but he's paranoid and thinks the world is out to get him. Now, he knows this is a problem for him but I just don't see him working on this. Most days he's a great dad and takes ds out to play tennis and golf and teaches him card games. He tells our ds that he loves him on a daily basis and he comforts him when needed. He attends our counseling sessions and is very honest with our counselor that he has 'issues'. Anyway, I totally hear where you're going and I will do what I can to keep my fears at bay!
Thanks!