New - Mom of 2

[saucey_s]

Hi everyone,

I am a mom of 2 wonderful children. My daughter was diagnosed with severe generalized anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder shortly after her 6th birthday. She has been hospitalized because the anxiety was so severe and out of control. Currently on Prozac, seeing a play therapist bi-weekly (for 1.5 years), seeing a child psychiatrist for 2 years. We were very fortunate to be able to get a second opinion appointment with a prominent child psychiatrist at our local children's hospital. At our appointment last week, my daughter was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Sep Anx. Dis. as we already knew but also ADHD, Non verbal learning disorder and dysregulated temperament. The Dr. recommened reading The Explosive Child....I am quire hopeful that it will have a big impact on her explosiveness. daughter's anxiety is not at all under control and she tends to be explosive to some degree most days. Our 2nd opinion Dr. has suggested strattera for daughter.

daughter (10) is gifted and shows some symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

We have an appointment with daughter's psychiatric. today. Hopefully we can sort out the medication bit. I haven't heard too much good about Strattera.

 

[BusynMember]

Hi there and welcome to the club

Did this psychiatrist do any specific tests on your child to conclude that this is her diagnosis? Has she ever seen a neuropsychologist?

 

[cubsgirl]

I just wanted to say Welcome and Good Luck with your daughter's appointment today!

 

[keista]

Welcome to the board!

Does the Prozac seem to be helping? Problem with "hearing things" about medications is that the people with bad experiences tend to be more vocal that those with good experiences. No one really knows which drug will be good or bad for any individual. If your child is in pain and turmoil, almost anything is worth a shot. Just be watchful of worsening or new symptoms.

Welcome again to the board! You've found a great place for support, guidance and insights.

 

[susiestar]

Welcome! The explosive Child is a book we highly recommend here, so the doctor is on the right track. Kiesta is right about medications. My difficult child has been on strattera since 6th grade and it is awesome. My older bro (adult) is also on it and it works well for him. It can work well with prozac or other ssris. Wiz is not just on strattera, he takes another ssri that is like supercharged prozac - same family just stronger, and also an antidepressant for sleep. they work very well for him and he is now not a difficult child but actually a easy child adult.

Welcome - read the archives and forums and you will find a lot of help here!

 

[saucey_s]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I apprecite the information and support.

Our appointment at Sick Kids Hospital (in Toronto) last week did include some testing. The Dr. that we saw is the authority in Canada, if not much of the world on anxiety disorders in children. We were just not at all expecting the diagnosis of the ADHD and NonVerbal Learning Disorder (NVLD), not to mention the dysregulated temperament. If our P doctor. ever though of those additional diagnosis, he never said anything.

Anyway, off we go to see what he says!

Thanks again

 

[InsaneCdn]

Strattera.
Its like every other drug... it either works FOR you, or it works AGAINST you, or it does nothing.
What works for YOU almost kills ME....

You have to find what works, and go with it... and then adjust, and adjust, and then they hit puberty and you adjust some more.
Guess what - its really not all that different from the rest of kid-dom, except "our" kids are more extreme.

You're working with a top hospital (many on the board are not so familiar with Canada's layout etc.) - so, dxes are probably relevant. Time will prove if they are accurate, or if there is yet another layer... but you do have something more to go on. I'm not overly surprised - being familiar with ADHD and some other LDs and other disabilities... and the impact on anxiety.

Start from where you are, and find things that work, and go from there.
The Explosive Child is kind of "the" book around here - seems to apply to lots of kids, but not all.
Might also want to check out "Driven to Distraction" (by Halloway, I think) - a really, really good ADHD book.