CBT(Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for Children???? Does it Exist???

[MrsForgetful]

DS2 is AS and at one of the things that we just cannot seem to ever improve/manage/relieve is how HE REACTS to THE WORLD AROUND HIM

He CANNOT ignore what others say or do...so he constantly says he is being bullied etc...and like the boy who cried wolf...gets ignored at school as he is ALWAYS reporting others.

He is also always stating HE HATES HIS LIFE...HE IS USELESS...EVERYONE HATES HIM...etc

so having had CBT myself for 2 years..finished i think 4 years ago...and understanding the principle of it being that....

YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE WAY EVERYONE ELSE TREATS YOU.... but YOU CAN CHANGE HOW THEY MAKE YOU FEEL.

...so i just wondered is anyone has any experience of this type of therapy...rather than the 'ANTI-BULLYING' stuff which is all he gets at school...where they put HIM and "THE BULLIES" in ONE ROOM...and the facilitator facilitates CONFLICT RESOLUTION...which may work with a NON AS child...but is NOT working with DS!!!

ANY good books or websites??? He loves reading...and would happily fill in 'online' quizes...so even 'selft esteem buildins' stuff would be good.

I am about to ring the paed to see if she can refer him for CBT ... but am aware of waiting lists...so want to do something now.

My dd1 is also like this (the girl who cried wolf), she's constantly saying she's being bullied and if someone pushes past her she tells the teacher that she has been punched/hit. She also believes she is rubbish at everything, she's always last in games and never gets picked for activities.

Like your ds dd loves reading and would fill things in online.

Im not sure about CBT (i can't even get it for myself so i'm not sure about for dc's)

Sorry i'm not much help, just wanted you to know we are in the same boat.

I think building up their selfasteam (sp) is key. I try telling dd that she is good at other things like reading, maths and Art and that it doesn't matter if she never wins sport etc.. she still gets upset .

I think most of the children in dd's class have started to notice she's different and they know how to make her cry . Its very upsetting as dd1 is so bright i dont want her school work to be effected by her social issues.

I hope someone will come along with some advice.

thanks marne...how old is your dd? My ds is 13 and i am aware that puberty is making things worse!!!!

Dd is only 6 (but going on 13), i worry about dd getting older as they (and others) become more aware of their differences. Puberty wont be helping.

am waiting for paed to phone me- meanwhile found something called 'Healthy Minds' to do with council/social services etc...maybe CAHMS?....so have left a message there too...

MARNE- google 'healthy minds' - include your county/town ' and it should bring up a team in your area?

Thank you.

Good luck with the pead.

I had CBT myself (you mentioned you'd like it?)

I found this website ...the resources they are offering to print of for free are very much like i was given by my psychologist...the website seems good.

HERE TIS

Thank you, i tried to get CBT last year but was just given counselling. I have a phobia of vomiting which effects me every day, i was told to try a therapy which meant i had to come face to face with my fear, i couldn't face it and i stopped going.

A lot of people have told me that CBT is the way to go but i can only do it by going private which i just can't afford (if i had the money i would rather spend it on therapy for my dd's).

I have other phobias also and low selfasteam. I often wonder if i am on the spectrum.

i was lucky...i was under the mental health team for post natal depression... and CBT was suggested - not for PND...but for the anixety/obsessions i have

i still struggle...i would like to say i was cured...but cos i too believe i am aspergers (only got as far as an OCD label....) I know deep down there is no cure.

however...i can honestly say that even though i last had therapy 4 years ago (maybe 5?) EVERY DAY sometning happens...a thought crosses my mind...and i draw on the CBT i learnt to try and move me on.

having done CBT...and now knowing what your difficulties are ...i will ponder this...and look on the web for things that look helpful to me for you... its no substitute for the professional help...but if you are like me...just reading a book...or a strategy that works...makes such a difference.

i also have found that my binge eating has reduced since i had CBT...as i adapted what i did for my obsessive routines/hoarding to obsessive eating.

that is what i like about CBT... it can be applied to many things...its just a matter of learning the method...and practicing it alot...and it does sit then at the back of your mind to be drawn on.

if you want i could tell you an example of a particular problem i dealt with with the psychologist...its not a personal one...so i am happy to put it here...but don't want to bore you...so will wait to see if you want it!!! and maybe you can see if it could be adapted to your phobias??? (like how we use the social stories for ASD )

thank you MrsForgetful that would be great, i have been a nervous wreck for the past couple of days (just because my dad came over after having a tummy bug and i'm worried we will get it). I feel really silly for having this phobia and i wish i could just control the anxiety i get.

Most of the counselling i had was over the phone (as i couldn't get the surgery on the day she was there) and talking on the phone is another of my silly phobias so this didn't help at all. Also got really fed up of having to go through the tick box forms for anxiety and depression each time i spoke to her.

i hate phones too...

'funny' ...now you mention the 'tummybug' thing...though i have no fear of actually bbeing sick...I am PARANOID when i cook that i will be careless and not handle raw meat properly/store cooked food properly...and that sees me turning taps on without using my hands (incase i leave bugs on taps)holding meat'poultry with tongs whilst i cut it into chunks with scissors...I cannot touch raw meat to cut it.
if i 'have' to pick up say a whole chicken/joint- as tongs won't do the deed, I always start the hot tap running first-and hold my breath (ritual) whilst i unwrap/lift meat etc into pan- then whilst still holding my breath- wash my hands well with anti-bac soap in the now very hot water.

i also cannot use the 'toilet brush'- instead i again start the hot tap running- get a huge bundle of loo paper- use it to wipe 'above water' marks in toilet- watching carefuly to make sure water does not soak up to my fingers- then flush toilet 3 times- then wash hands.
(even i find this funny/amusing/ridiculous.... as i could easily put on rubber gloves...but...i am scared as i take them off that i will touch germs...and i think the brush fear is due to the way it spashes as you clean...as holding it is not the problem...i could put tissues over the handle- no, ots the fear of spashing germs around.

bleaching would be a solution here...everyone expects OCD suffers to have bleach everywhere...however...i am scared that will harm my boys. so i use dettox...but cos it does not kill 100% of germs...and i cannot be sure where exactly i have sprayed it...i have to avoid the germs getting on anything in the first place.

hi my ds whom is 12 gos to camhs they do cbt with children my ds was assessed for aspergers because of his anxiety and social problems the pead we saw put in her report he needed intence cbt.so camhs could help your ds also sounds like mine.

thanks bigdonna...

I had a 30min chat with a social worker on the phone...she again commended me for coping so well (as if that makes me feel any better) and explained that we just weren't struggling enough yet....

she said she would not refer him to CBT

she gave me loads of things i/we 'should/could' do to improve my/our/his life...(support groups etc) she was nice...but sometimes you just want someone else to do the 'doing'

The paed has not returned my phone call...so will leave another message.

meanwhile...as always...i will order the book off the internet...and start working on the CBT with ds....

. I also have an OCD DX you may remember, and I clean the bog the exact way you do (except flushing 3 times), and have a similar anxiety around chemicals, so use dettol spray or dilute disinfectant liquid instead. at the similarities.

Moving back to the original question:- sorry the SW wasn't helpful. CBT definitely exists for children, but of course getting to see a real live clin psych on the NHS is not easy..... probably harder for children than adults.

The Maudsley has a website geared towards kids with OCD -ocdyouth.iop.kcl.ac.uk/noflash.aspx

which whilst not entirely relevant may have info about kids/OCD.

I know there are good websites for adults for CBT - I think beating the blues and the moodgym site are well thought of. Not aware of anything directed at kids, but there might be. Might be worth giving the NAS a call/e-mail to see if they are aware of any good books/sites directed at youngsters.

thanks TC...

p.s...i will look at the websites you mentioned...thanks