Please Help with my toddler!

by Lisa
(Massachsetts)

My daughter is 2.5 years old and has been kind of "quirky" since she was 6 months. She has had reflux and projectile vomiting since birth, and now vomits when she becomes anxious, angry, injured, burps, or when textures of foods are mixed will induce vomiting.


Her gastroenterologist recently saw her and we cannot get meds into her as she is very conscious of all textures in her food. She is very picky as well and is limited to 4-7 food types. She went through a period where she didn't sleep though the night and cried all night for about 6 months and we still deal with this issue intermittently. She will vomit before bed since she gets herself worked up. She vomits before a bath as a recent new issue as well and seems like we are killing her in the tub but there has been no traumatic event to cause these things.


She is petrified of other people and will not go near other children unless the environment is very calm and controlled. She still fears her own grandfather who she is around all the time! She fears rain, the heat, fire, sun, loud sounds, doorbells, bugs, certain songs and music make her cry, certain clothing, diaper changes are a nightmare and she cries to "hold me...I'm scared." Yet she cannot say why she is scared.


Her psychotherapist thinks she is just very "hypersensitive" and that she will grow out of it but she is not living with the minute to minute meltdowns that all of these fears are causing her. I am desperate for a solution...please help if you have any suggestions. Our PCP just put in a referral for a floating hospital to evaluate her as well and we are waiting for that to go through.


Firstly, if your psychotherapist is not taking you seriously, either you need to switch or you need to call a meeting and reiterate the severity of your concerns. I don't quite understand the vomiting although some of the other issues could be sensory integration related. This is usually addressed with occupational therapy. I would be curious as to whether their is a history of anxiety disorder in the family? The best advice in this situation I can give to you is to continue to work to seek help for your child and if what the Doctors tell you does not satisfy you continue to consult with other until you get a solution. Good luck with your child.

Sincerely,


Kristen McClure