Re: bees and bugs and ants etc

September 10, 2006

Yes, that has been my nightmare all summer. My son is afraid of

thunderstorms, black clouds, and bugs which was a new one in the spring.

Everything I have learned is to study, study, study those bugs, look at

pictures of them, learn how they behave, how they hurt you and how to

protect yourself from them etc. I guess that is all part of exposure.

We really got into problems because for the first time in our life we

started having a huge roach problem, and that really freaked my son out in

the house! Ugg! I think all the rain has caused that to appear. We now have

it in control and he isn't so worried about them.

I love the outdoors and hibernating indoors has been horrible for me!

Sorry and good luck! Go check out those books on bugs at the library!

Adele

_____

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of

autumn71A@...

Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:01 AM

Subject: bees and bugs and ants etc

anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

advice???

September 10, 2006

Yes, dealing with that here. First it was OCD dd, terrified of bees. But that

started after she got stung. She wouldnt go outside for awhile. She still

doesnt like bugs, but loves to play outside, so she got over it. Now it is

younger dd, 3 yo. She is terrified of bugs. If she sees one outside, she wants

to come in. If she sees one in the car, she totally freaks out. I have had to

stop the car several times to get rid of the bug. She freaked out once that

there was a bug in her car seat. I had to pull over, get it out of her car

seat, and it was a FRUIT SNACK! LOL! Other times it was fuzz from a stuffed

animal or a sweater. She does not like bugs! She has sensory issues and I have

actually begun wondering if it could really be the onset of OCD. She doesnt

like things hot or cold, has to wait for her food to get room temperature. When

she washes her hands and dries them, she has to pull the towel off the rack and

hold it while she dries, almost snuggling with the towel, and dries and dries

and dries and dries until there is not even one drop of water on her hands.

That is the biggest one that has me concerned about OCD. One OCDer is difficult

enough. <sigh>

Sharon

bees and bugs and ants etc

anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

advice???

September 10, 2006

No advice, but went through that/similar with my kids. One son (17)

is still afraid of spiders (a LOT afraid). I always just try to act

calm/shrug it off with them. But I don't poke fun. Although I have

told them there's no use in even trying a picnic or other activity

that might draw insects/bugs, made as more a statement to them. But

it's not fun to be scared of things. (I had to climb back down a

slide once - as an adult - I climbed up the ladder but got up there

and was too terrified to go down!)

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday

we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by

the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 10, 2006

I am the biggest wimp so I can relate - but most things she can

rationalize but she's just petrified - sad to see her in today - not

out with the others playing :-(

Quoting <@...>:

> No advice, but went through that/similar with my kids. One son (17)

> is still afraid of spiders (a LOT afraid). I always just try to act

> calm/shrug it off with them. But I don't poke fun. Although I have

> told them there's no use in even trying a picnic or other activity

> that might draw insects/bugs, made as more a statement to them. But

> it's not fun to be scared of things. (I had to climb back down a

> slide once - as an adult - I climbed up the ladder but got up there

> and was too terrified to go down!)

>

>>

>> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

>> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday

> we

>> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by

> the

>> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

>> advice???

>>

>

September 10, 2006

i think of that daily -how my 2nd will wear whatever go off no prob and

then I come back ready to attack OCD each morning to get the first sent

off -I loved this weekend -no school!!!!I love having them home -I'm

with them 24/7 until kindergarten so if I thought I could teach them

enough I would homeschool -anyway back to having 2 OCD kids -I had

copycat behaviors in the 2nd and 3rd and was like oh no you don't - one

with ocd is enough - anyway the 2nd was doing this thing with her eyes

and I had decided it was a tic and was awaiting OCD -i think it's going

away though -God help me if it's not -she also has a balloon thing the

non-ocd which made me wonder -not only afraid of popping but doesn't

want to get rid of them especially letting them fly off -she freaks

out!!!!!! sorry i'm babbling!

eileen

Quoting kidsnpets <sdonovan1@...>:

> Yes, dealing with that here. First it was OCD dd, terrified of bees.

> But that started after she got stung. She wouldnt go outside for

> awhile. She still doesnt like bugs, but loves to play outside, so

> she got over it. Now it is younger dd, 3 yo. She is terrified of

> bugs. If she sees one outside, she wants to come in. If she sees

> one in the car, she totally freaks out. I have had to stop the car

> several times to get rid of the bug. She freaked out once that there

> was a bug in her car seat. I had to pull over, get it out of her car

> seat, and it was a FRUIT SNACK! LOL! Other times it was fuzz from a

> stuffed animal or a sweater. She does not like bugs! She has

> sensory issues and I have actually begun wondering if it could really

> be the onset of OCD. She doesnt like things hot or cold, has to wait

> for her food to get room temperature. When she washes her hands and

> dries them, she has to pull the towel off the rack and hold it while

> she dries, almost snuggling with the towel, and dries and dries and

> dries and dries until there is not even one drop of water on her

> hands. That is the biggest one that has me concerned about OCD. One

> OCDer is difficult enough. <sigh>

> Sharon

> bees and bugs and ants etc

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 10, 2006

thank you -never thought of that -of course I'll get skeeved myself but

hey if it works :-)

Quoting Adele Mahan <adelem@...>:

> Yes, that has been my nightmare all summer. My son is afraid of

> thunderstorms, black clouds, and bugs which was a new one in the spring.

> Everything I have learned is to study, study, study those bugs, look at

> pictures of them, learn how they behave, how they hurt you and how to

> protect yourself from them etc. I guess that is all part of exposure.

>

> We really got into problems because for the first time in our life we

> started having a huge roach problem, and that really freaked my son out in

> the house! Ugg! I think all the rain has caused that to appear. We now have

> it in control and he isn't so worried about them.

>

> I love the outdoors and hibernating indoors has been horrible for me!

>

> Sorry and good luck! Go check out those books on bugs at the library!

>

> Adele

>

> _____

>

> From:

> [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

> autumn71A@...

> Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:01 AM

>

> Subject: bees and bugs and ants etc

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 10, 2006

My daughter with OCD has a fear of spiders. We live in the south so its pretty

routine to see spiders all year long.

I have OCD also. When she gets so freaked out over the spider, she hasnt in a

long time, but when she did, I tell her over and over again that she is bigger

than the spider. She would go through all kinds of scenario's with the spiders,

what if they did this, what if they did that, and I would just continue to tell

her that she is a big girl and it is a little spider. Eventually, she decided

that all she had to do is step on it and it was dead.

Now, my 12 yr old that is not OCD but is very orderly and percise with

herself and her things has a gigantic fear of grasshoppers. Now, if you have

ever visited the south or live here, I am not talking about the little cricket

size grasshoppers, I mean the ones that look like big thick pieces of wood. She

goes nuts everytime she sees one, granted they did attack her one morning in

church...

Point is, find something that makes the child feel strong. I told Reese that

she was bigger and stronger than that little ole spider, even the ones as big as

my head. I tell Haley that the grasshopper is not going to eat her, just the

spiders Reese hates...but I try never to belittle their fear of these things,

afterall I am deathly afraid of the peanut. I hold my breath to go down the nut

aisle in the grocery store and the only reason I do go down that aisle is cause

my candy and cookies and crackers and Gatoraide is ALWAYS on that aisle.

Things get better. You as a parent learn to deal with your children and the

child learns to adapt. I stress for a month before my week long vacation at the

beach every year with my in laws. I worry about the nasty bathrooms, the fact

that they touch things without washing their hands, ect. But every year, I seem

to be able to handle it a little easier...

Good luck!

" autumn71A@... " <autumn71A@...> wrote:

thank you -never thought of that -of course I'll get skeeved myself

but

hey if it works :-)

Quoting Adele Mahan <adelem@...>:

> Yes, that has been my nightmare all summer. My son is afraid of

> thunderstorms, black clouds, and bugs which was a new one in the spring.

> Everything I have learned is to study, study, study those bugs, look at

> pictures of them, learn how they behave, how they hurt you and how to

> protect yourself from them etc. I guess that is all part of exposure.

>

> We really got into problems because for the first time in our life we

> started having a huge roach problem, and that really freaked my son out in

> the house! Ugg! I think all the rain has caused that to appear. We now have

> it in control and he isn't so worried about them.

>

> I love the outdoors and hibernating indoors has been horrible for me!

>

> Sorry and good luck! Go check out those books on bugs at the library!

>

> Adele

>

> _____

>

> From:

> [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

> autumn71A@...

> Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:01 AM

>

> Subject: bees and bugs and ants etc

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 10, 2006

>

> Point is, find something that makes the child feel strong. I told

> Reese that she was bigger and stronger than that little ole spider,

> even the ones as big as my head. I tell Haley that the grasshopper is

> not going to eat her, just the spiders Reese hates...but I try never

> to belittle their fear of these things, afterall I am deathly afraid

> of the peanut. I hold my breath to go down the nut aisle in the

> grocery store and the only reason I do go down that aisle is cause my

> candy and cookies and crackers and Gatoraide is ALWAYS on that aisle.

>

> , do you have a peanut allergy?

>

> Dina

>

September 11, 2006

You here about exposure therapy, that is part of that. My sons fear of

storms is a little different because you can't just expose yourself to a

storm that isn't there. So learning to study weather has been a way to do

that. I even took him to the NOAA headquarters a few hours from our house to

learn how they track weather, etc. It has given my son such a great power to

know how to predict, which clouds cause thunder and lightning, etc.

Knowledge is power ,ha! They now have clinics where they have all the latest

technology to help people with exposure, especially with bugs. I saw a show

on that that was very interesting. I noticed Atlanta, Ga. has a clinic that

does all this. I wonder if it would help those that fear germs, etc. to go

and study that also.

Adele

_____

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of

autumn71A@...

Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:20 PM

Subject: RE: bees and bugs and ants etc

thank you -never thought of that -of course I'll get skeeved myself but

hey if it works :-)

Quoting Adele Mahan <adelemcarolina (DOT) <mailto:adelem%40carolina.rr.com>

rr.com>:

> Yes, that has been my nightmare all summer. My son is afraid of

> thunderstorms, black clouds, and bugs which was a new one in the spring.

> Everything I have learned is to study, study, study those bugs, look at

> pictures of them, learn how they behave, how they hurt you and how to

> protect yourself from them etc. I guess that is all part of exposure.

>

> We really got into problems because for the first time in our life we

> started having a huge roach problem, and that really freaked my son out in

> the house! Ugg! I think all the rain has caused that to appear. We now

have

> it in control and he isn't so worried about them.

>

> I love the outdoors and hibernating indoors has been horrible for me!

>

> Sorry and good luck! Go check out those books on bugs at the library!

>

> Adele

>

> _____

>

> From: @ <mailto:%40>

> [mailto:@ <mailto:%40>

] On Behalf Of

> autumn71A@frontiern <mailto:autumn71A%40frontiernet.net> et.net

> Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:01 AM

> @ <mailto:%40>

> Subject: bees and bugs and ants etc

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 11, 2006

Oh, my son also got fearful of black snakes that we found in our yard. It

was interesting the take our therapist took on that, again was knowledge,

learn about them, realized that black snakes keep the bad snakes away and

all the squirrels, mice etc. Our therapist said one time they found a snake

where he lives and he told the neighbors to throw it in his yard, he could

use the protection from those pesty squirrels, ha! He told my son to look at

them as a guard protecting our house, ha!

I have grown to learn that I like black snakes also because you can actually

see them before you are on them, and they do protect from the bad snakes

that blend more in the environment which always scare me to death because

you don't see them until you are on top of them. Another good example of how

knowledge can help. Although, not sure what he would say about dangerous

snakes, except they keep the mice away, but I don't have OCD and I hate

those!! Ha!

Back on the bugs, we also talked about what to do about them if they are in

your house, smash them, put out bug repellent. I bought a bug killer spray

and gave it to my son, It seemed to empower him to be able to have that on

hand, and I think he actually learned to enjoy spraying them, ha! How about

a fly swatter? That could almost be a fun game to go outside and swat bugs,

if they are willing. I think it is all about giving the child control and

not feeling out of control.

Adele

_____

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of

autumn71A@...

Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:20 PM

Subject: RE: bees and bugs and ants etc

thank you -never thought of that -of course I'll get skeeved myself but

hey if it works :-)

Quoting Adele Mahan <adelemcarolina (DOT) <mailto:adelem%40carolina.rr.com>

rr.com>:

> Yes, that has been my nightmare all summer. My son is afraid of

> thunderstorms, black clouds, and bugs which was a new one in the spring.

> Everything I have learned is to study, study, study those bugs, look at

> pictures of them, learn how they behave, how they hurt you and how to

> protect yourself from them etc. I guess that is all part of exposure.

>

> We really got into problems because for the first time in our life we

> started having a huge roach problem, and that really freaked my son out in

> the house! Ugg! I think all the rain has caused that to appear. We now

have

> it in control and he isn't so worried about them.

>

> I love the outdoors and hibernating indoors has been horrible for me!

>

> Sorry and good luck! Go check out those books on bugs at the library!

>

> Adele

>

> _____

>

> From: @ <mailto:%40>

> [mailto:@ <mailto:%40>

] On Behalf Of

> autumn71A@frontiern <mailto:autumn71A%40frontiernet.net> et.net

> Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 9:01 AM

> @ <mailto:%40>

> Subject: bees and bugs and ants etc

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 11, 2006

I wonder about the copy cat thing, too. Or could it be learned behavior. I

thought that about her sensory issues as first, but they are different issues

than her sister, so I know they are real.

Sharon

bees and bugs and ants etc

>

> anybody having problems with the great outdoors - dd is avoiding it

> like crazy due to bees and flies mostly - she deals, but yesterday we

> were out for well over an hour at a park and she was hysterical by the

> time we left - shoes off and all in case an ant got in them! any

> advice???

>

September 11, 2006

Yes, I am deathly allergic to peanuts. That is what triggered my OCD to go

overthe edge. Before that, I handled it rather well. I had odd tendencies but

they did not impair my life in any manner. When I had that last really bad

allergic reaction to peanuts, my life went into overdrive with the OCD.

Dina <dina.n.jones@...> wrote: