How do you cope with the anxiety of your child being ill? AIBU to find it awfully anxiety provoking even with horrible viruses?

[SlB09]

How do you cope/react when LO ill? My LO was ill recently with a virus that resulted in a very high temp for 7/8 days, really poorly, ended up going to a+e etc. He is fine now but I just really struggle to Co rain it when he's poorly - I'm pretty sure my response is a little over the top but I do t k ow how to stop myself thinking the worst will happen whenever he's ill.

Also to add I realise this may seem trivial to those parents with critically ill/terminally ill/chronically ill children and I apologise if it causes any offense in that way as it probably seems rediculous.

Health anxiety is a horrible thing. Im exactly the same xx

My ds and dd have had the same sort of virus, and I react In much the same way, I constantly check for meningitis symtoms, ect, ect... it is very stressful but I always think its better to be over cautious than to not be and miss something

I have chronic health anxiety. I know it stems from my son being diagnosed with a serious illness when he was 15. I have never gotten over the terror and anguish I felt during diagnosis and treatment. Right now I’m fixated on my daughter who is 14. She had some blood test done and there was a really high result on one thing. Anyway, I googled it and went to a very bad place. My family doctor knows how I am about all things medical and she said she would refer my Daughter to a Pediatrcian for my peace of mind, not because she thinks it’s necessary, but for me. Anyway, the appointment isn’t for 6 months. I logically know that this means that there is no urgency and if there were, an appointment would be sooner. But I’m beside myself with fear and find myself constantly checking my daughter for symptoms, waking up with panic attacks and generally having an awful time

I’m a nurse and so have training and some medical knowledge so tend to be the absolute opposite.
There needs to be a limb hanging off before I can muster up any energy to be worried.

I have a family member however who is extremely anxious about any illness no matter how trivial or mild in her kids and now as adults, they too are extremely anxious which rules their lives and affects their day to day in a very negative way. (Think performance management at work due to amount of time off sick & at the WIC, GP
Surgery frequently for simple colds or little spots on skin).

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone so I kind of try to instil into my kids what is normal and what are the red flags for illness.
Being calm & logical, I think is the way I deal with illness, hoping that this rubs off onto my kids.

I really hope your GP hasn’t done a referral purely to give you peace of mind. Addressing your anxiety is the way forward, not appeasing it because appeasement is fuel for anxiety.