Seperation Anxiety in 10 1/2 year old
I have a 10 ½ year old step-daughter who is having what appears to be separation anxiety disorder.
Her parents were never married and have always gotten along. I have been with her Dad for 11 years and married 9.
We have a normal home. Her Dad and I have two children of our own. She is very close to them and we only live a couple of miles from her Mom and Step-Dad.
Perfect right? Not really. This past few years my step-daughter has had what appears to be separation anxiety disorder.
In June my nephew died. He was 16 years old. It was a very rainy time. I felt like we lived in Seattle. So we had to tell my step-daughter that her cousin died. He was the first grandchild and she was the 2nd. She has always known them and they both were in my wedding. It didn’t appear that she took it hard at all. But suddenly she started crying every time her Mom would drop her off. She thought that her Mom was going to die if it rained while she was at our house. She have to call her all the time and would tell her Mom her tummy hurt. She had used the Tummy things before when she had to start school. She was always very attached to her Mother. We thought that was very normal, but now that she is almost 11, we don’t think so anymore. We feel like the death of her cousin has brought out her anxiety again but we are not sure. It’s almost as if it subsides once in a while.
A couple of years ago her Dr. thought she may have ADD because she just couldn’t seem to pay attention. But I often wonder if it was too much worrying about things. We would be on a roller coaster ready to have a great ride and she would need to know what the next ride was. I’d tell her to just relax and enjoy this ride. Everyday she needed to know what was on the agenda. If my husband and I relaxed and watched some TV, she would tell us she missed her Mom and wanted to call her. When she’d call her Mom she asks her Mom what she was doing. Like every detail. They would spend time talking about what her Mom eat and what she did so far and what she was doing next.
She has started humming a lot. I noticed it a lot. It’s almost when we are doing something she doesn’t want to do. Like we will food shop and I’ll hear her humming. I feel like it helps her cope when she would rather be with her Mom.
She can’t even sleep at a friend’s house or a grandparent’s house without crying. Has anyone had this type of problem before? I am worried about her and want to make sure nothing has happend to her to cause her anxiety.
Thanks
Michelle
Answers:
I don't think it's seperation anxiety. It sounds like a different type of disorder. I feel for her because she must be suffering some emotional trauma and is holding it in....
This may not be what you want to hear but it sounds to me like she needs a psychiatric evaluation. There's obviously something going on in her head that needs to be sorted out.
Good luck and I hope she is okay.
Her parents were never married and have always gotten along. I have been with her Dad for 11 years and married 9.
We have a normal home. Her Dad and I have two children of our own. She is very close to them and we only live a couple of miles from her Mom and Step-Dad.
Perfect right? Not really. This past few years my step-daughter has had what appears to be separation anxiety disorder.
In June my nephew died. He was 16 years old. It was a very rainy time. I felt like we lived in Seattle. So we had to tell my step-daughter that her cousin died. He was the first grandchild and she was the 2nd. She has always known them and they both were in my wedding. It didn’t appear that she took it hard at all. But suddenly she started crying every time her Mom would drop her off. She thought that her Mom was going to die if it rained while she was at our house. She have to call her all the time and would tell her Mom her tummy hurt. She had used the Tummy things before when she had to start school. She was always very attached to her Mother. We thought that was very normal, but now that she is almost 11, we don’t think so anymore. We feel like the death of her cousin has brought out her anxiety again but we are not sure. It’s almost as if it subsides once in a while.
A couple of years ago her Dr. thought she may have ADD because she just couldn’t seem to pay attention. But I often wonder if it was too much worrying about things. We would be on a roller coaster ready to have a great ride and she would need to know what the next ride was. I’d tell her to just relax and enjoy this ride. Everyday she needed to know what was on the agenda. If my husband and I relaxed and watched some TV, she would tell us she missed her Mom and wanted to call her. When she’d call her Mom she asks her Mom what she was doing. Like every detail. They would spend time talking about what her Mom eat and what she did so far and what she was doing next.
She has started humming a lot. I noticed it a lot. It’s almost when we are doing something she doesn’t want to do. Like we will food shop and I’ll hear her humming. I feel like it helps her cope when she would rather be with her Mom.
She can’t even sleep at a friend’s house or a grandparent’s house without crying. Has anyone had this type of problem before? I am worried about her and want to make sure nothing has happend to her to cause her anxiety.
Thanks
Michelle
Answers:
I don't think it's seperation anxiety. It sounds like a different type of disorder. I feel for her because she must be suffering some emotional trauma and is holding it in....
This may not be what you want to hear but it sounds to me like she needs a psychiatric evaluation. There's obviously something going on in her head that needs to be sorted out.
Good luck and I hope she is okay.