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pumpkimuffin
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29 Oct 2011, 11:28 am

Does your child complain of aligments when they dont understand things or when routines change? Everyday my child complains of bellyaches, headaches, big toe hurts..etc .You just never know what it will be but you can bet everyday something is going to hurt. These complaints happen when routines change or when she doent understand things. We have been told by doctors its anxiety steeming from autism.



DW_a_mom
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29 Oct 2011, 11:48 am

My NT daughter is the one prone to anxiety in our family, and she also is the one with near constant tummy aches, headaches, etc. There is probably a connection, I agree with that statement.

Don't skip over the possibility of food sensitivities, however. I think those play in with my daughter as well, although we haven't pinpointed which foods yet. A sensitivity is different from an allergy, in that the reactions are more subtle, but it is a difficult issue to get a handle on and there aren't yet solid enough protocols for mainstream medicine to be jumping on the concept (some good less mainstream doctors, however - and some quacks, so you have to be careful).


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pumpkimuffin
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29 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm

We have thought of food sensitivity issues, and have ruled it out. We have worked on this for a year. Every doctor we have seen says the same thing, that medication will not help this. We have seen 4 specialists so far .



Chickems
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29 Oct 2011, 1:54 pm

As someone with aspergers and who as worked with autistic children I understand the importance routines have in our lives. They are not extremely necessary for me but depending on your child it can be a huge part of the way they cope with things. You HAVE to let her have her routine more often. Physical symptoms are caused by our anxiety when are irritated. Imagine someone scraping their nails down a chalkboard. Thats what it feels like when you dont give her her routines.



Angel_ryan
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29 Oct 2011, 4:03 pm

Chickems wrote:
You HAVE to let her have her routine more often. Physical symptoms are caused by our anxiety when are irritated. Imagine someone scraping their nails down a chalkboard. Thats what it feels like when you dont give her her routines.


Yeah that's why I have a very poor relationship with my mother. She scraped her nails down a chalkboard one too many times.



pumpkimuffin
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29 Oct 2011, 6:44 pm

Chickems wrote:
As someone with aspergers and who as worked with autistic children I understand the importance routines have in our lives. They are not extremely necessary for me but depending on your child it can be a huge part of the way they cope with things. You HAVE to let her have her routine more often. Physical symptoms are caused by our anxiety when are irritated. Imagine someone scraping their nails down a chalkboard. Thats what it feels like when you dont give her her routines.



Thank you! I do let her have it, but outside of home when shes in school thats difficult. I do whatever I can to make her comfortable, I do understand anxiety .I have a panic disorder, actually im 100% sure I am on the spectrum and will be hoping for a diagnosis to soon to.



Annmaria
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29 Oct 2011, 7:06 pm

My daughter always complains of ailments from headaches to stomach, back pain, to high temperature, her fingers hurt, toes, etc. She has been dx with ADD and GAD not sure if this explains her ailments.

Its very tiresome and I do all I can to reassure her, at times she uses these aliments to avoid activities or socialising which she doesn't do much of. She can present with looking ill but I think its more avoidance I do what I can to encourage her to attend whatever but she is prone to getting very upset and crying. She doesn't have meltdowns not like her brother but she gets very upset to a point where you feel you can't force her.

I don't have the answers to this any help would be appreciated.


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29 Oct 2011, 8:16 pm

How old is she? Do you have a visual schedule for her? Changes in routine cannot be avoided completely but what helps us is to prepare DS for changes that we know are going to happen. His class went on 2 different field trips last week. He was quite anxious about it but we talked and tried to figure out what exactly he was concerned about then we tried to mitigate for those concerns. (They took the Kindergarteners to carve pumpkins with the middle school kids. DS did NOT want to have to touch the inside of the pumpkin). We have a schedule on the wall for what his day is going to be like. Using velcro we have tags with the activities that change from day to day. Each morning we go over the schedule and he seems to be much happier and more able to deal with things when there is a change.



Annmaria
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29 Oct 2011, 8:23 pm

Not sure if your question was to the OP, but my daughter just turning 16yrs refusing to have any plan in place because she will get too upset if its not followed.


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Annmaria
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29 Oct 2011, 8:25 pm

My daughter has been testes for food allergies its come back negative.


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