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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

sorry long thread - sickness phobia ds

11 replies

1legmummy · 13/02/2011 18:35

My ds has suffered with a sickness phobia since he was 6, he is now 11.

He has also had behavioural problems and obsessions, he was diagnosed with ADHD with OCD and anxieties last year and has been put on the drug Strattera.

Things were improving slowly, although I was having trouble with his secondary school accepting there was anything wrong, after many emails, calls and discussions they agreed to arrange a meeting - 3rd March. So that we could discuss strategies for Charlie and make his school life easier.

We had put a couple of things in place, such as a room he could go to, to use his phone as there is a strict rule of not using his phone in school

Unfortunately, his little brother had sickness on Thursday and this has spiralled his sickness phobia out of control. On Friday I received a call from him in a complete state, he was in the school toilet sobbing.

I told him to go straight to the Nurse and speak to the nurse and I would call her.

She answered the phone in a complete strop saying that he should not be using his phone in school.

I am at a complete loss as to what to do, do I keep him off school till the meeting? should I send him? knowing that he is going to be panicking all day and no one will understand.

School are not supporting us at all

OP posts:

Marne · 13/02/2011 19:22

Your poor ds, i suffer from the same phobia and i go into complete panic is someone has a sickness bug , ask your ds what he wants to do (stay home or go to school). Also could you use a social story. When i have a phobia i tend to get obsessed with reserching the internet about it, so with my sickness phobia a have reasearched how it is contracted, how to avoid getting it, inccubation period ect..), if i was your ds (had a brother with the bug) i would do what ever i could to not come into contact with him or the bug, i would rather be at school out of the way. Is he worried about getting sick at school? if so i would talk to the school about letting him phone you if he felt at all ill so you could pick him up.

Original poster

1legmummy · 13/02/2011 19:27

He is terrified of any situation that he cannot move away from.

At the moment is is bedtime and going to school as when he sits down in the classroom and especially in assembly the panic comes on.

He is no longer worried that he will catch it at home. But it has brought the phobia to his mind again and it seems to be worse than ever.

Unfortunately, school do not want to understand and think I am completely overacting and feeding his thoughts

I know he will go in tomorrow and be told off for using his phone - even though he was in the toilet and sobbing

OP posts:

Marne · 13/02/2011 20:37

It makes me angry how school staff don't seem to understand how serious these conditions (OCD,ADHD and ASD's) are .

There are days when he's going to be anxious and feel he's not in control, the school needs to know how to handle this.

If he's that anxious in the morning i would keep him at home until something has been sorted with school.

Deaddei · 13/02/2011 20:41

So sorry to hear about ds-I have a dd with OCD and a sickness phobia.
At primary school she ran out of the building when a child was sick, and worries constantly that her brother will be sick.
I would arrange a meeting with head of year-maybe a letter from dr? Has he had any CBT as that helped my dd.

Original poster

1legmummy · 13/02/2011 21:26

I have tried to arrange an urgent app with year head - I asked mid Jan and after waiting two weeks and many phone calls/emails I was given 2nd March.

They do not believe he should be on the special needs register

I visited the Dr who just said we were already with CAMHS yet his phsychiatrist does not understand his sickness phobia

We have just been awarded DLA after a major fight so I have enquired about paying for hypnotherapy.

I am trying not to feed his phobia by agreeing he can stay home from school, but if things dont improve tomorrow then I will keep him off till the meeting

Thanks for your comments - so nice for someone not to think I am just over anxious

OP posts:

Marne · 14/02/2011 07:38

You could try and get CBT on the NHS (i only had to wait a month), i have tried hypnotherapy but because of my ASD traits i found it more stressful (and it cost me a lot of money). I think you need to request another phychiatrist that understands phobia's, this phobia is quite common and is very real (it takes over my life). I hope you manage to find something that works for your ds and i hope you can get school to understand.

intothewest · 14/02/2011 12:34

hypnotherapy works well for phobia,but not always for children with SN .You need to be able to visualise and see yourself in different situations,dealing with things in a different way

so although children with SN can have imagination,hypnotherapy may well not be the answer-unfortunately it's not just a question of inducing a relaxed state and then making them better-

If you are still keen to try,I would phone a few hypnos and see which one you feel most
comfortable with-depending on your ds,they may agree to see him and try-but you should have a pretty good idea after the first appt. whether it will work.

It is a serious condition and it's hard to believe the school are being so difficult-and not being seen 'til March is absurd !your poor ds-have you considered moving him to a more sympathetic school ?

Original poster

1legmummy · 14/02/2011 16:37

I have thought about moving schools, in fact it is very appealing.

However, I have another ds who starts school in September and I would have to move him also and commit him through primary school as I would not want to move him half way.

I have spoken to a couple of hypnotists and they do not think it will work for him as he is under 16.

He did go to school this morning and said he had awful day - but he stayed - so I am very proud of him

OP posts:

Original poster

1legmummy · 14/02/2011 17:20

Now I have the back up of DLA to help pay.

Do you think he would benefit from private councelling/testing?

OP posts:

Marne · 14/02/2011 21:08

The therapist i am seeing at the moment is using techniques on how to cope with the phobia rather than cure it, its about learning to distract yourself when the fear comes into your head (i think its called 'mind therapy'), i have also had some CBT but again this may not work for a child with ADHD or ASD.

Well done to your ds for going to school .

kbaby · 16/02/2011 21:55

I suffer from the same phobia too and really feel for your son as it is horrible. I find that to some people they don't seem to see how vomiting can cause such a reaction. I feel it takes over my life at times and panic if I hear of any tummy bugs going round etc. I would persue counselling for your son. You will prob never get rid of the phobia but he will find ways of coping with it and controlling the panic. It's something I wish I had done instead of thinking I was being silly for feeling this way

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