Panic Attack

[purplemurple]

ds is 7 (AS), we visited the Imperial War Museum yesterday. We went up to the viewing tower, the lift was a bit creaky and he started to panic a little, i soothed him and he was OK.

when we got out of the lift and walked across to the viweing tower the floor was crisscrossed metal so you could see down to the floor, by the time we walked across he was having a full blown panic attack, hyperventilating and shaking.

We went straight back down and i was able to calm him down but it leaves me really worried. he has never had one before and it was frightening and heartbreaking to see my LO so scared.

Do any of your dc have panic attacks? Now he has had one it worries me for the future. He does have a lot of fears, buttons, insects, etc and he does shake but nothing to the extreme of yesterday.

What is the best way to do deal with this for the future? remove him from the situation or help him confront his fear.

[Marne]

Yes dd1 has a lot, she would have been the same about walking over anything she can see through, also a while a go dh tried to get her to stand on a wall and she had a panic attack (was shaking, crying and breathing very fast), i had to shout at dh to stop trying to make her stand as i could see her getting worse. She also used to get like it with the cat but is slowlly getting better and can now walk past it without crying. I think if its something that he really doesn't need to do them remove him straight away, if its something he's going to come across a lot then try and tackle it but very slowlly (don't force it but maybe comprimise, one step closer to the object each time).

Dd1 is the same age as your ds, we have overcome a few fears but are always coming across new ones.

[carocaro]

I know what you mean, the musuem is all open and I think with all the real life size planes the perspective does mess with you head a little, I say this because do you thing he go vertigo? DS1 aged 9 does not like heights, he shakes and gets a bit sweaty? He might have an inner ear issue to do with balance, he could could just not like heights! Have chat to your GP.