HFA 8 y.o. DS with anxiety and crying who should we see?

[Anonymous]

MY HFA 8 y.o. DS cries easily. He cries for maybe 2-3 minutes, asks for a hug, and dries his eyes and is better. He feels very comfortable crying and never hits, kicks, or breaks things. His "go to emotion" is crying. This cycle goes on daily, and increases when he is sick. Right now he seems pretty healthy, and he has cried several times a day this winter break. He seems very aware that he makes a little problem into a big one- and does not know how to stop.

DS gets easily "confused." Like earlier, when he was sad (sort of but not to the point of making him cry) that his extended family is leaving at the end of the weekend to return home after the holidays. They will be leaving Monday, and he said their last day is Sunday. And I said they are staying through Sunday and leaving Monday. And he says something like, tomorrow is their last day (maybe that is what they told him because it is their last full day) and I dropped it. I did not say another word. A minute later DS cries, when I ask why he is crying DS says he "does not know why" (but I know- he does not like to be told something he believes is incorrect) he asks for a hug, and I give him a good one and then it is over with.

But this happens over and over. He had a wonderful time at a restaurant earlier in the week, and I thought it would be great for us to take our whole family there. During his meal, DS went on and on how great the food was, and how much he enjoyed it. Then when we mentioned we were going there for lunch tomorrow he had a crying jag again. He kept asking why I wanted him to go back there. And I explained that I thought he liked the place, and it made him happy and he probably would want to return since he enjoyed it. It is strange, once I explained that it made him happy, and we enjoyed seeing him happy and wanted to replicate that again - then it clicked for him. When he goes into his limited thinking and crying jags he is so suspicious of my intentions.

DS does not have these episodes at school, or out of the house much. Only a safe place, like at home, in the car, or his grandparents house. DS language is behind 2 years and he is emotionally/socially immature. But on those occasions where he feels completely misunderstood he seems to have a "glitch in his thinking" and continually goes on and on about something very small. It is not just a normal grumpy kid thing, it seems to be a real anxiety driven- the world does not understand me stance. Then the cycle of- panic- cry- release, and it happens over and over again.

I researched this topic in past posts and saw suggestions for books Anxious Kids Anxious parents, etc.

We would like to get therapy for him/us who should we see a behaviorist? Psychotherapist? or a Psychiatrist? Any recommendations (names) please?

[Anonymous]

Try the Ross Center in Chevy Chase. They're fantastic.

[Anonymous]

The tears seem to be appropriate since he's experiencing a sad emotion. But seeing a therapist, e.g., psychologist, would be helpful, even for just the short term. To make sure he's not being eaten up with anxiety and the tears are the only outward sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try the Ross Center in Chevy Chase. They're fantastic.

Would you please give the contact info for this location? I can only find info on the D.C. office. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try the Ross Center in Chevy Chase. They're fantastic.

Would you please give the contact info for this location? I can only find info on the D.C. office. Thanks

There's Chevy chase DC. You have the correct address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try the Ross Center in Chevy Chase. They're fantastic.

Would you please give the contact info for this location? I can only find info on the D.C. office. Thanks

There's Chevy chase DC. You have the correct address.

Sorry, thanks!