[pamb1us]

I have a 10 year old neice who has not been made to do anything since birth she didn't want to do. Her mother has read a lot and told her about sad and it's symptoms. Suddenly, the child throws tantrums, refuses to go to school, etc. Her mother brought her to me to care for her one day and she threw a crying and physical tantrum forcing me to have to carry her into my home. As soon as the front door closed and she was out of her mother's sight, she saw my dogs and was laughing and playing and was great the rest of the day unless she was asked to do something she didn't want to do and her mother showed up. Then suddenly she reverted to the tantrums and crying jags of my 2 year old grandson. She wanted to go to horseback riding that day and wasn't going to get to, but as soon as her mother gave in, she was fine. She does complain about her stomach bothering her, but she doesn't get nervous, breathless,etc., just the tantrums,refuses to go to school since she has been diagnosed with dyslexia,etc. I don't think she really has SAD since she can turn these emotions on and off at will and it all goes away INSTANTLY when she gets her way, no residual anxiety symptoms,etc. What do you guys think?

 

[Fairyxo]

I'm 99% sure she does not have SAD.

Her mother needs to teach her rules and discipline - children should not just be able to do what they want and refuse what they don't want. It'll be ten times harder now she's older, but it's needed.

 

[shyvr6]

Seems like the problem is her mom. If your niece gets her way all the time when she throws tantrums then she isn't going to stop doing them. You should tell her mom to start watching episodes of Super Nanny or something similar to get some tips on how to deal with it.

 

[pamb1us]

Thanks for the reply!

Ireally appreciate this. I didn't think that someone who suffers with this disorder could turn it on and off at will. She has the Grandmother convinced that her daughter has this disorder and that the rest of the family simply won't help her, so the daughter is conning the Grandmother into indulging this child with summer camps, trips,keeping her out of school, etc. and we are all refusing to participate in the sham of the daughter and granddaughter thus enabling her unacceptable behavior. However, if we somehow didn't understand this disorder enough,we all wanted to be sure we weren't dismissing it out of hand. I just don't see how it would be possible to SUDDENLY after learning of the symptoms of this disorder to manifest symptoms at will and turn them on and off whenever she is presented with going to school, or doing ANYTHING she doesn't want to and most importantly,when she is given her way, it takes NO TIME AT ALL for all tantrums, displeasure,anxiety,etc.,to disappear. So thank you for helping us.

 

[Fairyxo]

If we could turn it on and off at will, we'd turn it off and never turn it back on again.

 

[shyvr6]

Besides throwing tantrums and the stomach ache, what symptoms does your niece suffer from according to her mom, and did her mom give you examples cause that would help?

Oh, and here is a link for SA symptoms:

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/disorder/

It might help you determine if you witnessed any of them yourself. Has she been officially diagnosed with SA or is this just her mom's opinion?

 

[rantan]

I think shes 10 damn years old, and she needs to be made to do some work for once.

There's nothing wrong with her... infact shes prolly very smart...youll waste and loose all that if you allow her to get away with this

 

[Amocholes]

Probably not SAD. People with SA do not want to be the center of attention. It's something we avoid at any cost. Her actions seem designed to attract attention.

I agree, she does need to be given some responsibilities and maybe a swat on the butt now and then.