help with child suffering from depression,anxiety ocd,adhd?

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I've been dealing with this same situation with my son. He's eleven and has been in treatment since he was five. (ADHD, OCD, ODD, Bipolar-it's important that you learn what all these letters mean, and what behaviors are caused by each) Of course there's no one size fits all answer, but here's what I've experienced. Three areas need to be addressed...

Therapy-Yes, a good child psychiatrist is hard to find. You should start at your local hospital. They sometimes have out of town docs come in for clinics regularly. If it's part of the hospital's services, you can check to see if they have financial help available if needed. I was lucky enough to find one that is very good and comes in once a week. We have followup visits at least every three months, sooner if changes are needed. Also, counseling, speech therapy, and occupational therapy have helped a great deal. Many times behavioral problems are triggered or increased by physical stimuli and these trained professionals can teach the child (and you) how to cope.

School-If you live in the US, then by law you can request your son to be put on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) which explains in detail what your child's goals are step by step through the school year. It also includes what accomodations are needed (which the school has to provide BY LAW) in order for your child to succeed. For example, allowing extra time for tests, seclusion or headphones with music playing for focusing, or having an aide go with him to class. Also, you may want to check and see if there is an Emotional Disabilities unit either in your local school or in your county. It may be a bus ride, but the school has to provide transportation. My son went to a school 45 minutes away, but he was able to keep his education at grade level. It made all the difference in the world. Call the school and ask to speak with the Special Needs Coordinator. They'll point you in the right direction, piles of paperwork or not.

Lastly, is Home. Consistency is a must. We have a token/tag system in place which is very similar to his school's. My son is very big on reward and praise, so I use that to reinforce good behavior. Your counselor and therapists will help you to customize what will work for your son. Of course, plenty of downtime and funtime with the family should be a part of it ;)

I wish you the best of luck, and sooner or later you'll find what works for you and your son. Blessings

Get them into something active like an outdoor club or soccer team.

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help with child suffering from depression,anxiety ocd,adhd?

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