@amm87 Great suggestions here! Also wanted to add that your husband seek help for his depression as well. Kids are like Sponges and can be very in tune to the emotions of others.
@amm87 You absolutely can see a professional for help with this. I'm concerned your pediatrician wasn't more concerned since it's impacting your child's life so badly. Therapy is actually really fun at this age. Lots of play, books, engagement. I would absolutely try to get a referral to someone.
@amm87 I have a 5-year old who sounds a lot like your kid. Mine is very physically cautious and timid around other kids, especially high-energy kids. Although we haven’t done therapy for him yet, I’ve researched therapy options for kids. You should look into play therapy as a possible option. That’s the route we will go if/when we decide to seek outside help. Best of luck from another OAD mom with an anxious kid. And wish us luck as we start kindergarten soon!
@amm87 My son has anxiety due to his epilepsy. Even though you've seen a ped maybe look into some other experts. There could be an underlying cause for the anxiety.
@amm87 Hi there! I’m the mom of a 4yo anxious and hypersensitive to noise! Welcome to the club! It can be really awful at times but there are things you can do! I’m in Canada but I went to her doctor and we got refered to a social worker who helps us tremendously! She gives us many tips and tricks to implement in our daily life so she can learn to manage her anxiety better. We also got referred to an ergothérapeute to give us advice as well. Just know there are people who can help you with this! Don’t give up, stay strong, it isn’t easy!
@amm87 I would 100% look into therapy. Maybe they can pinpoint the underlying fears of getting hurt. My brother was similar as a child. He just wasn’t athletic and also didn’t like fast movements. He needed different types of activities that weren’t movement based or sports. He was great with building things and science experiments.
I agree that children are like little sponges. If your husband is anxious and you’re frustrated to the point of boarding school, your little is feeling that. Maybe try some different activities at home that involve gentle outside play!
@amm87 I would absolutely look into some kind of therapy for him. Are you in the US? Even if his teachers are not flagging him because he’s polite and a good student, schools still offer services for social and mental health concerns. You have the right to request he be evaluated by the school. I would also seek out a new pediatrician. As someone else mentioned, parallel play is a milestone for a toddler-aged child, and you are right to want it looked into.
I was an elementary special education teacher before I had my daughter, and I had students on my caseload who were great students with strictly mental health concerns.
@amm87 You really need to find him a team. He needs a psychiatrist because meds could really help him here. He needs a psychologist and probably a licensed therapist as well for play therapy.
@amm87 How is he with another trusted adult that isn’t you or his other parent? I’ve found my kiddo acts completely different around me than he does at school or playing or friend’s house. He’s almost six.
