anxiety

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
anxiety
5
Mon, 05-22-2006 - 10:36am

I wanted to share some good news with you all. As most know our dd suffers from anxiety and was dx with selective mutism when she was 3. She's now 8yrs and has made a lot of progress over the yrs. The SM was about gone & anxiety was much less but still an issue. We bought her the book "What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety". She loved the book and we saw her really using the techniques. We felt she still needed something to help her though. There were times when the anxiety was just too much for her to implement the techniques in the book. I finally decided to start her on 5-HTP supplements. (I'd been reading about 5-HTP for yrs and mulling it over) 5-HTP is a serratonin precurser. She's been taking them for about a month now. We started really low and slow. She now taking 50mg 2Xday. They have really made a difference! She started telling us she loves us all the time. She's giving hugs and kisses on the lips!!! She happier and more animated. She started singing along to the radio in the car. And Saturday night we had a huge achievement. Talking on the phone was always very very hard for her. It took her yrs to work up the courage just to say hi to me on the phone. Well Sat. we tried to get Kyle to order pizza. We wrote out everything he'd have to say and explained what they'd say and roll played it. He said he was too scared and couldn't do it. (we knew it was a long shot) Hannah pipped up "I can do that!" And she did. She did it perfectly and made it look easy. Dh and I both cried we were so proud and truely amazed. I wish we had it on video tape.
I'm considering adding 5-HTP to Kyle's supplements in the future. I'll let you know if we do and how it works for him. As we all know what works for one may or may not work for another.

Very proud Mama,
Samantha

Samantha
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: mamahh
Mon, 05-22-2006 - 11:09am

Samantha.....sorry I don't have any experience with the supplements but I am curious to hear other's input on the topic. It sounds like it has been a positive experience for you - that's awesome! I am going to look for that book. My son's anxiety is pretty high lately (not as high as it was during the winter months here) maybe this will help.

Thanks,
Christie

Avatar for littleroses
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
In reply to: mamahh
Mon, 05-22-2006 - 2:22pm

Avatar for littleroses
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
In reply to: mamahh
Wed, 05-24-2006 - 2:10pm

delete




Edited 2/19/2008 9:51 pm ET by littleroses
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
In reply to: mamahh
Wed, 05-24-2006 - 6:23pm

Thanks for the heads up. It won't be a problem though. She can't tolerate b's. They always give her horrible yeast. Not too long ago I tried her on sublingual methyl b-12 and the yeast was so bad and took much longer than ever before to get undercontrol. I vowed to never giver her another B vitamin again. I have been wondering lately why they kick up so much yeast for her. Know anything about that?

Samantha

Samantha
Avatar for littleroses
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
In reply to: mamahh
Thu, 05-25-2006 - 2:24pm