Today is a different kind of post on the blog. Yesterday was a tough day here. I have mentioned before that our middle daughter who we will call E, struggles with anxiety just like me.
E is a great kid, she has such a soft heart, is so compassionate and is the first kid to give someone in need something of hers. E is super funny, loves to read comics, is a serious student who is really smart and I think she’s secretly the bub’s favorite sister.
She has had a hard time with school ever since she was little, like pre-school age little. She hates being late to anything as she doesn’t want people to look at her when she walks into a room. At one point she wouldn’t eat in restaurants and even had a panic attack while we were eating out. The unwanted attention of large amounts of people on her is something she is worried about. One of her triggers is people throwing up, especially at school. E is quite concerned she will throw up and people will look at her, say things and she will be embarrassed. The worrying manifests itself in the form of stomach aches for her which then make her worry she’s going to throw up which makes the stomach aches worse. This is a vicious cycle and we’ve been dealing with this off and on since she was three years old. Second grade by far was the worst year, she was in the nurse’s office almost every day, she wouldn’t get out of the vehicle to go to school, she would cry every morning and we felt helpless and frustrated. Our pediatrician referred us to a psychologist but it was a very long wait to see her. I sent the paperwork in to the clinic in early March and our fist appointment was in August. After 4 or 5 visits she was doing really well so the psychiatrist felt we didn’t really need to meet anymore. Third grade was much better, it was helpful that our neighbor across the street was her teacher.
When we decided to move, hubs and I were a little nervous how she would do but E was really excited to move. The school year this year so far has been pretty decent, she likes her teacher, she likes her classmates, has friends and is in a gifted reading program. We have had struggles with homework, E expects everything she does to be perfect, once again, just like her me and I hate that. She wants the perfect answer, perfect writing, etc.
Now that the stomach flu season is here, she is back to worrying about throwing up. Almost every morning she tells me her stomach hurts and I have to tell her it’s from worrying. Yesterday she wouldn’t go to the bus stop, there was lots of yelling and frustration all around along with crying. I decided maybe we needed to go to the doctor and see what they had to say, maybe hearing from a doctor that worrying was causing her stomach to hurt would be more helpful than hearing it from me. We do not have an established doctor here but we got in yesterday and the doctor we saw was ok, I wasn’t wild about him but it could have been worse. He listened to everything we had to say, suggested that maybe E could be suffering from some constipation but the most likely culprit was her anxiety. He then strongly suggested we try some medication.
I am not anti-medication as I know that it can be helpful for people but I think that we are very quick in our society to throw medicine at situations without getting down to the root cause of what is wrong. This is how I feel about anxiety, let’s not mask the problem but figure out what’s going on and causing the problem. Medication along with counseling is something I’m not opposed to but just giving me some medicine to numb my kids mind is not the solution I was looking for. We did have the doctor call in the meds but after we got home and the hubby and I talked some more, we have decided to hold off for now. He prescribed Zolaft for her and I’m not sure I want my daughter on it. I have had a few friends on Zolaft who said they were pretty much numb, they couldn’t be mad, couldn’t be sad, couldn’t be happy, they were just there. I also know that suicidal thoughts and paranoia are side effects of this medication. I don’t want my child to be some zombie kid who can’t feel anything but I also don’t want her to be a ball of anxiety either.
Yesterday at the library I checked out a book called What’s Eating Your Child by Kelly Dorfman. I’m really excited to read this book and see what they have to say. This is what Amazon.com has listed as the book description:
Here’s a book for every parent whose child suffers from mood swings, allergies, ear infections, eczema, anxiety, tantrums, ADD/ADHD, picky eating, lack of growth, and a host of other physical, behavioral, or developmental problems.
This is an important book! Written by Kelly Dorfman, a sought-after nutritionist whose typical family in her practice comes to her after already having seen three or more medical specialists, What’s Eating Your Child? brilliantly reveals the hidden connections between nutrition and chronic childhood ailments while giving parents simple, straightforward tools to understand and solve their children’s problems.
Grounded in cutting-edge science and filled with case studies that read like medical thrillers, What’s Eating Your Child? reveals that what children eat affects how they thrive. There’s in-depth information on the surprising problems caused by gluten-intolerance, and—short of full-blown celiac disease—how difficult it is to diagnose. On why artificial sweeteners are worse than sugar, and why soy milk is a poor substitute for cow’s milk. On how to cure sleep disorders with melatonin, hyperactivity with magnesium, anxiety with fish oil. Parents learn quickly how to become their own nutrition detectives, and how to implement the very simple EAT program to recalibrate their children’s diets. They’ll understand, at last, how to talk with a doctor about nutrition; why to choose organic; how to pick quality vitamins, minerals, probiotics and supplements; and how to get their children off drugs—antiobiotics, laxatives, Prozac, Ritalin—and back to a natural state of well-being.
I also checked out What To Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety by Dawn Huebner. E started reading this book last night and asked if we could buy it for her. She really connected with what the book was saying and it gave her some ideas like having a Worry Time each day where she tells us everything she worries about and we just listen and don’t say anything. It also talks about how worries are like tomato plants and when you water the plant it grows, just like when you focus on your worries they grow.
Our next step is to get a referal from our regular pediatrician to see a psychologist where we are living now. Our insurance does not cover any medical where we currently live and it’s a three hour drive one way to go back to where we are covered. A referral would allow us to see someone here and the visits would be covered by our insurance. If after a month of working through the book, making some changes in her diet and talking with someone professionally we don’t see any changes, then we will consider the medication. For now, we are holding off. I know that some people will disagree with our decision and that’s ok. We are doing what we think is best for our child.
So sorry to hear about your issues and congratulate you on your choices. Medication should always be the last resort. I am so tired of hearing docs "guessing" about the diagnosis and then throwing out that (here's why I just charged you $250) prescription!! Doctors do have there place, certainly, and I have had some wonderful ones, but information and common sense go a long way. The best to you and your daughter!!
oh Ange. My heart is just breaking for you and your little girl. I suffered from anxiety as a child. Mine was not in stomach aches, but my was the perfectionist outlook. I would get so worked up and so upset, I literally couldn't function. People would say it's not a big deal, or just get over it, you don't have to be perfect, but it wasn't that easy! It did help going to talk with someone and giving me tips on how to deal with it when those feelings would come up. My prayers go out to you
she is so beautiful and sweet looking! i wish you all the luck with the book and i would do the same thing- i don't believe in medication unless absolutely necessary. keep us posted and i will keep her (and your family!) in my thoughts.
Praying that God gives you the right guidance in what to do. I agree with you on not giving medication and if it can be helped through nutrition then start there. Small changes can make a difference. My hubby is an expert(well not expert) but has sold nutrition for over 18 years and knows how it can help the body.
Your daughter is precious and I do feel for her and hope she gets better soon.
I'm glad your using med's as a last resort. I m not sure if I'm experiencing anxiety but I am experiencing depression with perimenopause. The Dr. prescribed anti depressants and of course I also choose not to take them and try a more natural rout. Bought a book on perimenopause. Listened to my favorite radio program called "Family Life" searched for the topic menopause. I did some homework for you on worry…. () I wish it was audio but its in writing. As I skimmed through it realized I am experiencing anxiety. I friend sent me some tea's that help with calming. Here are just a few verses from the Bible that may help to memorize.
Luke 12:29b
……do not worry about it.
Luke 21:14a
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand……
Praying for you!
Ang.
Hi Ange,
I totally agree with you that nutrition is so important. I would also choose to try nutrition before putting my child on medication. So much of what we feed our children today is overprocessed and I truly believe that it effects them. The book sounds amazing and I'm curious to read it. I'm going to have to go and get myself a copy. I'm sure there will be tips in there that can apply to adults as well. All the best to you and your little girl. Please keep us up to date on her progress.
Jean
I came across your blog entry while on another blog, and, boy, did the subject line jump out at me. My oldest daughter (now 26) suffered from anxiety in much the same way as you describe your daughter–wouldn't go into restaurants, had stomachaches, couldn't sleep, and had great difficulty going to school. There was a period in 4th grade when my husband and I had to take her to school early and carry her in to leave her in the teacher's care–talk about heart wrenching. Her pediatrician recommended a child psychologist who decided she was–get this–willfull, and recommended a reward system for her. Didn't work–the kid was way to smart for this and knew she could manipulate the system.
What worked best for us was telling her when she was anxious that these things were not going to happen, that it was just the anxiety working on her. Talking to her calmy and telling her to take deep breaths.
As she got older, the anxiety lessened to a great extent, but occasionally popped up in high school and in college–mostly when she was unprepared for her schoolwork or faced a classroom presentation. She has learned to deal with it, and on her own has discovered that caffeine exacerbates her symptoms–also through research she learned taking a magnesium supplement helps her. She graduated from college and is currently working in Chicago at a great job she loves. She makes presentations in front of clients, and in the past 6 months has been flying (something we thought she would never do because of claustrophobia, etc.) to another state for client meetings.
I know this is a long comment (and I never leave comments on blogs, I'm just a lurker), but I remember how hard those times were. We love our children so much, and we want the path to be smooth for them, and when it's not, it is as I said before, heart wrenching. You love your little girl and you believe in her, and that helps her tremendously. I bet she's smart as all get out, too, just like mine! I hope time and your calm reassurance helps her through this.
Love this comment from Anonymous! It's so nice to know you're not alone!!!
I'm not crazy about kids on meds either. My heart goes out to your daughter! I was a nervous child and not only did I worry about throwing up in front of people, I often did throw up, making things worse. It's a vicious cycle. I think you're on the right path with the books and talking openly to your daughter. It helps me to be around happy, unstressed people who have a "so what!" attitude versus stressed people who make a big drama over everything. I also live with 3 guys where NOTHING fazes them, they NEVER worry. EVER! They are good role models for me.
My son has a friend (13 years old)who is very nervous and anxious (has panic attacks)and has an issue with the texture of foods and not liking how most foods feel. Anyway, BOTH his parents are doctors- the mom is a general practitioner and the dad is a neurologist. He is not on ANY medications.
Follow your heart, you know her best!!
P.S. My second grade son threw up on the school bus (in the morning)just last week. I got the call from the school nurse and I drove to the school in a panic worrying how traumatized my son must be, worrying he'll be teased forever, etc… He couldn't have cared less. He was happy he got to come home with me. I'll never be that laid-back, but it must be nice!
I'm so sorry about this struggle! I've never been through anything like that but as an outsider, it sounds like you're doing all the right things. My brother was on zoloft for a while and it did numb him as well. It just always seems smarter (in my opinion) to try other ways to fix to the problem first. I hope you're back with a happy update soon!
Oh Ange, I'm sorry you guys are dealing with this. You are a great mother and one who clearly cares. I'm going to email you shortly.
I am so sorry your daughter is faced with these issues. Wishing your family strength and patience. Knowing she has an awesome mother who cares a great deal for her must mean a lot to her!
Oh friend…my mommy heart is just hurting for you and your sweet girl right now! As parents we will do anything to help our kids and when something seems so out of our control it just makes us feel so desperate. I think you are doing everything you can…reading up, consulting doctors and PRAYING!! I am an anxious person by nature and have had panic attacks which have been situation specific so I do understand some of that. I really feel that through a lot of prayer and talking that the Lord delivered me from much of it! I will have you all and especially 'E' in my prayers and just know that you aren't alone and we are all here to support you as much as we can!
Love, Vanessa
Oh Ange….I'll keep you and your little girl in my prayers, my friend. What a beautiful and sweet little girl you have been blessed with.
I completely feel for you. I suffered from severe anxiety as a child from K-2nd, I was okay in 3rd, not okay in 4th, good in 5th & 6th and a mess in 7th (first year of middle school). It settled down after that but reared it's ugly head my freshman year of college. The first two weeks were one giant panic attack. My mother did not let me come home (trust me I begged) which was the best thing she ever could have done. She supported me but told me this was something I had to get over. Thankfully, I have only had three panic attacks since college. For me caffeine was a big trigger and caffeine no longer has a place in my life. I too was (and still am) a perfectionist. I do think that often goes hand in hand with anxiety. If you can find a good psychologist that would be great (if you go the route of a Psychiatrist they will want to prescribe meds). There are many tips they can give 'E' to help her manage this and help you too. You are doing all the right things and you are not alone. If you want to talk (on a phone), just let me know. I would be happy to share my experiences with you and help you anyway I can.
As a pharmacist, it breaks my heart to see a child on an anti-depressant. There has to be another way. Hopefully you all can find the answer!
I loved reading this post because it was vulnerable, sincere and helped me get to know you more. What a gorgeous daughter. You are doing great with all of this. Clearly, you are an excellent mother. As a former youth director, I had a lot of kids in my care that were on these types of medications. There are not only side effects, but what they don't tell you is that they are VERY difficult to get off of in about 70% of cases. All sorts of nasty withdrawal symptoms that many doctors just say are evidence that you are not able to function without the medication and in turn up it. It's hell getting off of these – typically a 1-3 year process during which you feel nothing like yourself and have all sorts of crazy ailments. Why? Because the way these drugs work is by filling the brains GABA receptors. This is the calming agent our brain naturally makes. When the med fills it, the brain stops making it. So, not only does it numb, but when you stop taking it, the brain is SUPER excited as nothing is calming it. It's no longer making it's own GABA. It takes up to 3 years to return to making normal amounts of GABA. So, you have all sorts of neurological withdrawals during that time. I'm not a doctor, just did some research and that's the way I understand it. I hate seeing people try to get off of these drugs, especially since probably most should have never been on them to start with. So, yes, you are right to use it only as a last resort. There are many downfalls that doctors do not warn about. If you want to hear more detail, just email me…
Anyway, about the food. As you know, I have some pretty major food allergies. Well, when in the allergists office getting diagnosed, his nurse told me about how her child was so hyperactive and they tried adjusting food first, before meds. Come to find out, if he avoided corn, he was fine! A whole new kid!
Another lady I know had a son that seemed to have Tourette's Syndrome or something like it with ticks. Yep, it happened to also be a corn allergy.
Many others had experiences with anxiety being linked to food as the book summary said. Food can literally cause any symptom you can think of.
So, that is a great first step.
However, give yourself more than a month, because it's a bit of a tangled web (for instance, one food can go under 200 aliases, so label reading is an art). An elimination diet is a pain, but the best way to get a read on food… anyway, it could take a while. And, gluten in particular, took me 3-5 months to see a complete difference on. But, boy did it make a difference! Again, email me for details if you want. Just don't want to overshare on here. This comment is already pretty long!! I think it's a record for me.
Praying for you, sister!!
Love,
Kristy
Oh, GABA receptors relate to anti-anxiety meds in particular. Zoloft is an anti-depressant technically. It's in a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. They work a little differently, but similarly. And, they have the same major issues with getting off…
Sorry, Ange, just still thinking about you and praying for you. You got so many beautiful comments here. I definitely believe in exactly what Anonymous said. I'm sure that either the original psychologist, food, or just coping skills and prayers will be of great help! And, maybe, as a last resort, medication. Hopefully not. It is awesome that you exploring options! Great work, girl! Praying for peace and wisdom.
Praying for E, you and the rest of the family. It's tough being parents, but I think you're doing the right thing. It sounds like Judy would be someone great to talk to. Keep us in the loop.
Sincerely,
Debbie
Hey Ange. I rarely comment on posts, but in this case I just feel I need to. I'm sending you an email privately but wanted to comment just to show support for you and your husband as you enter the world of wondering and second guessing and listening to all different opinions from one extreme to the other, all backed by facts, statistics and personal stories. It's an extremely hard boat to navigate to say the least! Each person is unique and different and what works for one doesn't work for another. God in his infinite wisdom made each of us differently, quirks and all. However, panic is NOT from our Lord and needs to be attacked head on, as early as possible, by whatever means necessary. My pharmapsychiatrist told me when I finally sought his treatment last year told me that panic, left untreated, can and will turn into a full blown panic disorder. I have general panic disorder and am taking medications that in all honesty have saved my sanity and allowed me to be who I was created to be. But I, 37 not a young child, and at this point in my life the panic had gone too far to be treated other ways effectively. I had tried many other options first… They didn't work. My son, who is not medicated, is in a therapeutic treatment center in Utah. We live in south Carolina. Tis is not something I ever thought would ever ever be something I would consider,let alone do. But again, the choices we make for our children must come from research, prayer and love. Nothing else. Everyone has an opinion but you and your husband must weed through all the information and advice out there and make the choice for your daughter. Take comfort in the fact that as long as you have God guiding you, it's never the wrong choice. Now there may be times when you have to change gears and find another approach as this condition is not a one size fits all! Be ready for a bumpy road and nothing can startle you. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
I feel for you! My daughter (now 6) suffered from anxiety and selective mutism. Instead of meds, we found an amazing social worker to work with her and do cognitive behavioral therapy. They talked about a "worry bug" and how to "squash" him. It took less than a year and I have seen MAJOR improvement. She still has times when she gets nervous and doesn't feel comfortable talking to people she doesn't know well, but I know she is continuing to improve so much. Just hang in there and do what feels right in your heart. Good luck!
My thoughts and prayers go out to E and your family. She's a beautiful girl and I do know how anxiety feels. I think you're an amazing mom, Ange!
I am sorry that you and family are going through this. When you listen to your heart, you can never go wrong. It sounds like you and your husband are doing an amazing job and everything you can for your daughter's success! She will do better than succeed with parents like you!
All the best. My thoughts and prayers are with you!
It sounds to me like you are doing everything humanly possible to make your sweet little daughter's life happy and healthy. Keep up the good work and be strong! You are a brilliant mother and I know you will all get through this!
I am a big believer in fish oil for our whole family. If I forget to give my son his daily dose on Omega 3, he is just not himself by the end of the day.
Take care and best wishes always,
Natasha.
Oh wow…to see this outpouring of love and support brings tears to my eyes. I just want to say thank you to everyone on behalf of Ange. Ange, I have been concerned about you and wondering how things were going. I did not know your daughter was dealing with this as well. I believe you and your husband are doing what is best for you and your family. {I will email you what my husband recommends.} I think medicine for mental health is very different for kids than for adults. I will say, being a person who takes medicine for ADD and Depression, that the reason for beginning the medicine in the first place for me is because my brain is deficient in making the necessary 'stuff.' So it is not in my best interest to get off the medicine, but again I am an adult. However, I am sensitive to people making blanket statements about medicine. I am a firm believer that medicine is a gift from God. It has been very helpful for me. But as others have said, you have to do what feels right for you & your family. I also am a firm believer in therapy. We can all do well with eating good foods no matter what health condition we might have. Last but certainly not least, God hears our prayers and helps in more ways than we know. I will pray for you and your family. Lots of love, Shan
Such a tough thing. I don't have kids, but I do know that I would look for alternatives besides medication first prior to trying one of them. Since my 20's, off and on, I've battled anxiety spells and notice for me they are triggered by stress and the foods I have eaten. I noticed my first feelings of anxiety after my mom suddenly passed away. Since then, I've had some challenges figuring it out. However, I do notice that when I eat non-processed foods, have a balance between protein and carbs and get some exercise in, I have no symptoms. I do think there is a relationship between food and how my body/brain reacts. I know everyone is very different and it may be trial and error to get what works for you and your child. Prayers for you.
I struggle with anxiety but didn't know that's what it was until recently. I always assumed everyone worried about random things like I did. I can't say when exactly those kind of thoughts/behavior started for me but it was before I was old enough to drive. ((HUGS)) to you and your daughter.
Amen sista! Very well put.
Ange, I am back today as I had promised to come back and read your current post. I was led to start here. As a mother of young adults (22 and 18) I hope that I may give you some hope and encouragement today. At around the age of eight, our son's school suggested ADD and recommended a psychological review. We followed through for about two visits up until Ritalin became the sole focus. It was clear to me, as well as my husband, that this was NOT our calling as parents and I left his Christian school, where I worked as a teacher assistant and where I was told that with Ritalin he could get straight A's vs. A's and B's. My last words to them were, quoting Dr. Dobson, "Parenting is not for cowards." And off we went into a very unfamiliar territory.
I had to literally detox him MOSTLY from all the lies that had been spoken over him, sadly in a Christian school. Yes, he was a very active social butterfly all throughout his home schooling, we were not stuck at home and he had many friends, proms, homecoming, co-ops, and even college classes through high school.
Through much prayer and God's grace, he is now a full time college student, a certified paramedic, a certified firefighter, and a Biology major very interested in pursuing medical school. NO RITALIN.
Yes, it was tough. Yes, I purchased books and altered his nutrition as much as I could. No, I didn't always follow through. Yes, extended family and friends thought I was crazy when I started home schooling and chose no drugs. Yes, at times I thought I was too.
All this to say, hang in there, follow God's leading. It's not always the same for all, but PEACE is typically your guide. I repeat, peace, and not necesarrily ease.
Our daughter was in school too and suffered from headaches, stomach aches, anxiety and increased need for perfection. ALL stopped when she came home and just started to show up again now when she started college. Hmmmm…
I will keep you all in my prayers.
Sorry for the long comment.
Email me whenever you like.
I have a 4-yr-old nephew who gets anxioue if things are or are not done a certain way. My sister has done a lot of research and they are now mindful of his diet. He is still little but is doing so much better. There is so much that is intolerant to our bodies that finds itself in the food we eat and sometimes it is also a combination of certain foods that acts as a trigger. I think your best option and one that you can control right now is your little E's diet. Stay away from meds – they could be more harmful than what is affecting her right now if it is the food. So sorry, Ange. You will find the answer no doubt.
Ange, I just posted a comment (long comment) in your Anxiety Story Part 1, but, I saw some comments and then this comment and just wanted to write a more detailed post about my experience with Zoloft (50 mg). Pia, thanks for posting this.
Another long comment but…bear with me…I think it's worth it.
Let me be a little more specific about my Zoloft experiences. I am not a child but, maybe it will give you some insight.
When I first got on Zoloft, I was 26 (currently 30). I took it for 2 months, and got off of it cold turkey. I had 2 weeks where I had "sensory zaps". It was a weird feeling…but, I didn't realize that I should have eased off of it. Anyway, I was fine after that and that was the only effect of the withdrawal from the medication.
After a year, I had to get back on it because the "triggers" crept up. Triggers are the things that your body remembers when you had your last panic and your brain tells you to feel that way again. It sucks. But, I am a teacher and I just couldn't stop teaching so, I got back on the medication for another 2 months and then stopped again (yes, cold turkey…sort of). Again, I had the "sensory zaps". You feel them in your finger tips, toes, etc.
I was off of the meds for a while, maybe a year and a half. Doing quite well actually. But then, I was on a mission trip this past summer and starting getting dizzy and panicky. Now, mind you…I have been on a few mission trips before this without medication…even to Africa and Belize before this so…why it started again this summer, I don't know.
It was very frustrating and even spiritually debilitating. I wanted to trust that God was going to take care of me but, I also knew that I felt better when taking the medication. If I took medication again, did that mean that I wasn't trusting God? I was at a crossroads.
I decided to go to a Christian psychologist. He was a paster as well as a doctor. I told him my story and then he told me this – anxiety is two things, genetic and/or environmental. If your experiences are just environmental then, you can use therapy and be okay. However, if it's genetic, medications and therapy is needed.
Now, let me tell you that both my mother and sister struggle with anxiety as well. My sister has severe panic attacks and my mother has severe anxiety.
I told him my spiritual struggle with going back on medication and he said this – God gave people the gift to discover the medication. He gave doctors the ability to help people get better.
I decided that I would go back on the medication for a while. I am currently still on it and I am staying on it for now. I just think that it's party heredity and it really isn't ever going away. I pray that God will help me with every day struggles and that if I decide to stop taking the meds, he will decide to take away the panic and worry.
I use to say, why me? I mean, I see people going about their every day life and have no worry what-so-ever (my husband or example).
Continued on next post…
continuance…
While I was in Belize this summer and started having panic, I was in the middle of teaching teenagers. I told them I had this anxiety and that I needed some prayers and went on with my lesson. Well, my husband, who was also on the trip, was playing basketball with those same teenagers and one of them (Ian) had to go home. After he left, he asked one of them boys why he went home. They told him that he has a "heart condition". Later on that night, my husband was talking with Ian. Ian started describing the "heart condition" – shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, tingling feeling. My husband's red flag went up and said, "I think you need to talk with my wife". Low and behold – Ian had panic attacks. We talked and talked about our bodies and what happened and how he coped with them. He said he was odd because no one could understand what he was going through. No one in his family could help, no friends, no one.
I have been in contact with him since then and he tells me that he no longer has panic issues and he thinks it's because Brandon and myself.
Wow – what a story eh? Phew that was long…Sorry to talk your ear off but, I believe God makes us deal with things for purpose…even if it's to help someone. He won't give me anything that I can't handle. This I know.
This is my fourth-grader to a "t." She also asked me to by the "What to do When you Worry Too Much," after reading it with the school counselor. She has panic attacks if any attention is drawn to her. She is super-smart, sensitive and fun, but social situations are very stressful for her. She has an amazing school counselor who has helped her over the past few years. I can't imagine moving because change is VERY tough on her. One thing that has been helpful is gymnastics. She's on a team with a great group of girls and coaches. I've watched her self-confidence grow immensely and it's so cool to see her do and try things that she never would have in the past. I worry about that sweet girl sooooo much. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. It can be so heartbreaking to watch your child suffer.