Child panick attacks- i.e. visiting doctor

[MamaMom]

Starting at 2 1/2 my dd started to have panick attacks. Didn't think much of it because the couple times they happened were at a new school or class situation then she would calm down. When it happened with swimming (seemed extreme) I just stopped the class.

I usually prep my daugther before going into a situation i.e. doctor- read books, play doctor at home but she still cried and freaked out at the doctors office- eventually calmed down.

Happened again at the dentist office. It freaks the office office out and resulted in us not getting a complete exam because she would not calm down. Even with me there she screamed at the top of her lungs. Now she has two cavities to be filled... need I say more. Anyone with solutions to panick attacks or do they just grow out of it? How can I speed the process of getting over fear?

[crunchy_mommy]

I don't think they just 'grow out of it' although I'm sure some kids do -- but I'm someone who has had severe anxiety/panic attacks my whole life.

I wouldn't ordinarily suggest this but could they sedate her to fill the cavities? (If you actually have to fill them -- I know I read on the Dental board that there are sometimes other options)... I think practicing & preparing ahead of tims is good & could be complemented by learning relaxation techniques. She could learn to breathe deeply, meditate on a little scene or story, relax all her muscles, etc. These are things you could teach her but I think it would help if you could figure out exactly what's triggering the panic attacks. For ex., maybe it's the metal tools, they might look scary to her, so you'd want to let her explore those tools a lot to feel comfortable with them. Or maybe it's having a stranger touch her, in which case maybe more time at the beginning of the appointment for the doctor/dentist to talk & play with her a bit if they're willing to do this. Or maybe it's something totally different, like the smell of the room or the lighting.