Do your adopted children seem to go a little nuts whenever you are not around? Maybe you are just running to the grocery store, or out to dinner with Super Dad. The children know you will be back soon, you always are. Yet, each time you leave the house, they hover at the door and behave badly for the sitter. While your children are at school all day, you get phone calls from teachers and principals. Your child has hit or spit on another student or a teacher. Another day your child has stolen property, runaway, been caught skipping class, committed forgery or has pooped his pants. What is going on, why is your child acting so nuts. Could your adopted child be struggling with anxiety?

If your child is struggling with anxiety, how can you help? First, realize it isn’t because of you; it is about the trauma your child experienced before entering your family. Blaming yourself, or avoiding your alone time, will not benefit anyone. You could ask your child’s doctor or psychiatrist if medication can help ease the anxiety while you work on other tactics at home. Your child might be more responsive to your efforts with some medical help. Once your child is showing improvement you can try weaning off the medication.

Try calling your children while you are gone from home to let them know that everything is ok and you will be back soon. Try to call about once an hour just to check in with each child. If the child is experiencing difficulty at school, ask the school to allow your child to call home periodically. Perhaps just calling home at lunchtime would be enough to calm your child.

Give you child a small ball, piece of play-doh, or stone to roll around in her pocket between her fingers. This little action can be soothing,


Related posts:
My FAS Child Can’t Stop Stealing
Should I Try Medication Now or Wait
How to Work Through an Anxiety Attack
Time Alone? – Living with FAS and ADHD
Did You Ever Think, “My Child’s Special Needs Are Too Much to Handle?”



Photo Credit: 2007 Julia Fuller.