11 yr old with sudden severe anxiety/OCD- help!

amother

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 8:56 pm

I am in the Catskills and ds is in terrible distress from sudden anxiety. This is a new thing for us, though I've been suspecting OCD for the past few weeks. I was planning to tackle the OCD when we return to the city in September, but now it can't wait. I need to take him to a psychologist this week. The pediatrician confirmed this, and gave me a prescription for something to calm him down until we get to the right doctor. B"H it is working nicely, but it's just a temporary band aid.

Does anyone know of any good psychologists in Monticello/ South Fallsburg, or anywhere near there?

amother

Amber

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 9:20 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Dr. Hizami is a psychiatrist in Rockland County. Not too far. Othwrwise, call Chaim Medical or Refuah Helpline for a referral.

amother

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 9:54 pm

I'm so glad I decided to ask this here. I never thought of PANDAS.

Now that he has started showing these new symptoms, I realized he has had signs of OCD for a long time. But he just started a lot of new symptoms about a month ago, and now the terrible anxiety. I feel so bad for him. The doctor we saw last night was not our regular one. Neither one of us thought of PANDAS. I'll have to call our regular doctor tomorrow and ask him to do blood work.

amother

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 10:05 pm

OMG! I just looked up symptoms of pandas, and this list came up:

Severe separation anxiety
Anorexia or disordered eating
Urinary frequency
Tics and/or purposeless motor movements
Acute handwriting difficulty

Ds hasn't been writing because it's summer time, and he hasn't really had separation anxiety. He has tics from before. But the urinary frequency is the main cause of his anxiety, and he has suddenly gone on a diet and is refusing his favorite foods! He loves to (over)eat and has never been at all concerned about health until this Shabbos, but now he's refusing treats and meal foods. I don't think this can be a coincidence.

However, he was tested for strep twice in the past month. He hasn't had strep in a long time, AFAIK. Maybe a year or more. Does that ruin our theory?

unexpected

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 10:30 pm

I would also check to see if he lost weight recently and/or if he is eating properly. Lack of proper nutrition and hydration can manifest in ocd and anxiety. I would suspect eating disorder if ch"v this happened to one of my kids

amother

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 10:41 pm

As I said, he has been eating A LOT until Friday, when suddenly he went on a crazy diet and refused to eat chicken soup or chulent or other things. All of my kids had donuts tonight, and he refused his. And this is a kid who would typically eat his own donut and then finish everyone else's leftovers (if I don't stop him).

The change was sudden and drastic.

amother

Forestgreen

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 10:42 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I know a child whose first sign of pandas was sudden restricted food intake.

amother

Apricot

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 10:47 pm

amother [ Forestgreen ] wrote:

I know a child whose first sign of pandas was sudden restricted food intake.

I know a child whose first sign of anorexia was sudden restricted food intake, coupled with ocd like behaviors and severe anxiety and paranoia. Please get him to a dr immediately

amother

Babypink

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 11:40 pm

amother [ Apricot ] wrote:

I know a child whose first sign of anorexia was sudden restricted food intake, coupled with ocd like behaviors and severe anxiety and paranoia. Please get him to a dr immediately

This honestly sounds like a lot more than anorexia going on.

Pandas and anorexia are not mutually exclusive diagnoses, on the contrary, they often go hand in hand, anorexia being the symptom and pandas being the cause.

Anorexia and Autoimmunity: Challenging the Etiologic Constructs of Disordered Eating
https://pediatrics.aappublicat.....73060
Authored by the leading pandas researcher working out of the NIH.

amother

Babypink

Sun, Aug 04 2019, 11:43 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Not at all, for a bunch of reasons. It's common for kids with pandas to get negative cultures even when they do have strep. Strep can be anywhere in the body, not just the tonsils/throat. Others infections aside for strep can trigger the exact same symptoms (looks up PANS). Pandas isn't a diagnosis based on any specific lab tests, it's is based solely on symptoms.

nanny24/7

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 1:02 am

I agree with others that it could be Pandas but also that it's not necessarily mutually exclusive and treatment also doesn't need to be mutually exclusive.
Since you mentioned food restrictions you may want to reach out to
Magen Avrohom
1-718-222-4321
magenavrohom.com

They are a wonderful organization that helps with eating disorders.
I am sure they can help even if you aren't sure if that's what this is or not.
They helped someone I know personally who had anorexia and BH that person is doing very well today.
Also careful about temporary meds that are only a "band aid". Some can be addictive if used long term. Not sure if the one you are using has that issue or not. It still is probably better to use them now though as not medicating right now is probably even more risky. So I hope I am not scaring you off using meds as that is definitely not my intention.
In fact I would definitely use whatever I can if it were my child until a psychiatric eval can be done hopefully ASAP.
Also you mentioned in your OP you are looking for a psychologist.
Therapy is always a good idea but right now I think you urgently need a psychiatrist to evaluate and treat with meds at least until your DS can stabilize more.
A psychologist cannot prescribe meds.
Hugs!!!

Frumwithallergies

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 7:51 am

Is he overweight?

One of my dds stopped eating after a 'friend' called her fat. She has anxiety tendencies (more like glass half empty) and once she started eating again after a few weeks she began restricting her food. It was through a therapist that we found out someone called her fat.
I'm speculating here but just something to explore with him.
Hazlocho!