Did DD9 have a panic attack?

[sleepfortheweek]

Today at school my DD(9) said she got into a fight with some friends and she was ‘so stressed’ she couldn’t move her hands. I asked her to show me what she meant and they’ve basically seized up into spades, and she was unable to open them up.

I googled the symptoms and it suggests a response to high stress levels resulting in a panic attack.

i asked a few more questions and she said her heart was pounding really hard and that when she tried to move her hands she felt like they had pins and needles.

We are actually awaiting a ND assessment, if that’s relevant. She really struggles in situations where she feels she has done something wrong (even if she hasn’t) or her friends won’t speak to her or will be mad with her. I suspect she has a bit of RSD and wondering if the conflict with her friends might have triggered a panic attack.

Any one else (or their DC) experience something similar before?

The teacher knows about it and told her to run her hands under water. Her hands went back to normal eventually with the help of a friend who engaged her in a game of catch. Not sure whether to contact the teacher who might have more of an insight into what might have caused it if she was present.

Sounds like an autistic shutdown. It’s the same level of distress if not more than a melt down but often isn’t recognised.

Thank you for your reply. Teachers have never noticed any ND traits at school, certainly nothing they are concerned about, so I think it might be hard to push for a diagnosis (I’m not even sure IF she’ll be diagnosed and if so, with what) I just know she struggles more than her peers in certain situations (especially at home or she reflects on what’s happened at school and has a bit of a meltdown)

Doesnt sound like a panic attack. More like frozen - remember it’s fight, flight, freeze or faint when reacting to scary things.

Panic attacks do cause this. The increase in breathing rate causes a build up of CO2 and hands seize up. It’s very common. However, a panic attack is a diagnosis by exclusion of other respiratory causes but in a child it’s unlikely to be anything more sinister.

Thank you. Nothing else froze, just her hands. It sounds like it must have been quite scary but she said she was able to laugh about it with friends afterwards so I don’t want to make a big deal about it.

I’ll contact the teacher who might be able to shed more light on the situation which arose (which DD doesn’t want to talk about)