S.O. asks from Lansing, MI on March 07, 2011
8 Year Olds Mental Health...
Before I get into this, I just want you all to know that I am tkaing my daughter in to see someone. I have also contacted the school in the meantime to have the social worker talk to her since she knows him.
Anyway, my daughter is terrific, not violent, and does exceptional in school. She can be really hard on herself when she isn't getting something or winning. She is her toughest critis. She sometimes snaps and just starts crying and is miserable. She does this alot, and has for a couple years. Recently she has started telling me that she hates her mind, it keeps her up. She will actually hit herself in the head when she tells me about her mind. We are a Christian family, and I have tried to help her find ways to deal with her excessive worry. It breaks my heart to see my daughter struggle like this. She recognizes that there is a part of her mind that drives her nuts....I could use some insight as to what you guys think. She is my oldest so everything is new. I don't want to over react, but my family has extensive mental illness.
Thanks
So What Happened?™
Thank you everyone! We took her in and they diganosed her with an enxiety condition. I am trying to help her at home with exercises and such, but am ready to move forward with treatment if necessary!
More Answers
M.J. answers from Sacramento on March 07, 2011
Our son has a variety of brain disorders and we spend a lot of time at the child psychiatrist's office. You will be amazed at how many normal-looking families you will see in the waiting room. There is no shame at all in getting help for your daughter ... in fact, it's something to be proud of. You're not letting your own worries about what others might think stand in the way of helping your daughter. You're being good parents in taking her to the specialists who can help her most and this is something she will thank you for years from now.
I know with our son's conditions, there are so many parents who try to fix things on their own with vitamins and other things that just don't work because they worry about seeing specialists. Don't worry one second.
If you get the right treatment, you'll be amazed at what a difference you make in your entire family's quality of life, most importantly, that of your daughter.
4 moms found this helpful
M.R. answers from Columbus on March 07, 2011
Mental illness is something that does run in families, so you are wise to take her to see a therapist and a psychiatrist. Try to find a board certified child psychiatrist. A neuropsychological evalaution may help you too, not becuse she has any educational deficts, but because relative weaknesses can cause some kids such anxiety, and knowing where they are may be very helpful. Say, if her fluid reasoning is weak in an average or high average range, but her cacluation skills are in a superior range, she may be angry at herself or frustrated with more coneptual math work, when the actual working of the problem came so easy. If she has even an average executive funciton, and poor impulse control or social reasoning skills, she may lose control, and cry or even say things in front of her peers that she later is able to see are clearly not good things to do and say, and so on.
You will want to have a full medical work up too, and be sure that there is no under lying illness or codition, like blood sugar issues, that could effect mood, just to rule them out as well.
There should be no stigma here for you at all. If she does turn out to have mental illness, contact NAMI in your area, they have wonderful care giver classes and are a great local resource. You will definetely feel less isloated because you will meet and know many other people who also deal with the same things you are.
Finally, take care of you. If she has a mood issue, you should be very dilligent with yourself, and if you feel like you need help yourself, get it right away. Primary caregivers, espeically mothers, are very commonly diagnosed with depression because of the stress of caring for a child with mental illness. I don't mean to scare you, but the teen years are a challege, and (for many people I know) just as you think you have it figured out, she will enter a new stage of development, and hormones kick in, and you hit another rough patch, and everything changes. Be ready for anything, and take excptional care of you.
M.
3 moms found this helpful
D.P. answers from Pittsburgh on March 07, 2011
Hi S.,
I have an 8 yo, so your post really touched me.
I hope her doc can help her.
Praying for you & your daughter.
3 moms found this helpful
K.P. answers from New York on March 07, 2011
Psychiatric condition are heritable and it does sound like your daughter is experiencing the onset of something. Remember that mental illness is like any other "illness"- there will be a treatment plan that involves diligence and strict adherence to the plan for it to work.
Sometimes having something to "call it" actually makes the child feel better! Good luck and be patient. It will take a while to figure it all out.
3 moms found this helpful
T.F. answers from San Francisco on March 07, 2011
We have so much to face in todays world. Our children's world is much different that ours and there are so many factors. Heredity, our environment (both physical and social) make it so tough for any issue/challenge. The only thing that I can add to what you are planning is you may want to look at nutrition along with everything else. I don't think it could hurt and hitting this with everything that could possibly help now will serve her in the long run. I'm so glad that she has you, you are aware and ready to help her. All the Best!
2 moms found this helpful
P.B. answers from Spartanburg on March 07, 2011
ok so you maybe have an idea on what she may have? what do your family have?racing thoughts can be linked to several personalty disorders and some disorders may overlap in time making it difficult to diagnose. So you are doing great in looking for professional help, i hope you get soon a precise diagnose, so the illness can start to be addressed and controlled. don't loose hope and keep up the good work until you find someone able to help you and especially her. diagnose is the key!!!good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
L.B. answers from Detroit on March 08, 2011
I am glad you are taking her to see someone. My family also has lots of mental illness and it runs in families. Let the professionals evaluate her and try not to worry. There was a recent show on Oprah about a 10-year-old boy with mental illness. It was amazing the turn-around he had with the right help from the medical community. My prayers are with you.
1 mom found this helpful
G.B. answers from Detroit on March 08, 2011
Of course I'd pray with her and help her see what a resource the Lord is for her, but I'd also have her evalutated by a psychologist or psychiatrist who works regularly with children. It may just be developmental but something is out of the range of what you'd expect and I wouldn't just hope it goes away. I also wouldn't refuse medication if, after carefully having her evaluated by one or more experts, there is something that will help her. My grandson is 24 and doing well. He's been on psych meds since childhood & got excellent help thru Children's Hospital in Detroit. Clearly that's too far for you but I would try to find a place that sees a lot of kids, not just adults.
1 mom found this helpful
Email
facebook
twitter
StumbleUpon
digg it
kirtsy
Technorati
reddit
del.icio.us
blinklist
simpy
