‘Good to be aware of early signs & symptoms’

By RITA AGGARWAL (Consulting Psychologist) :

Q. My child is beginning to show some signs of poor attention. He is restless and fidgeting most times. He does not stay still and keeps moving here and there in the house. His teacher complains of the same signs. He is eight years old and in Class 2. He was not like this earlier. This is very recent. Please guide me as to how I should proceed and help him. I am a concerned father and take active interest in my child’s development.

Ans. There could be many reasons for the change in behaviour and it needs to be looked into. It is good for parents to be aware of the behaviour changes in the child and investigate the causes. For a growing child the reasons could be psychological, emotional, social or biological. This means there could be some stimulus in the school environment he is reacting to. This could be some unpleasant episode with his friends, the teacher, the subject matter, or anything adverse which has made him restless and anxious. It could alsobechangesinhisbodywhichcan sparkchangesinbehaviour. Talk to his teacher and some of his friends and find out whathe is reacting to. Otherwise, you can consult the school counsellor if any or a psychologist privately.If the signs vanish in a few weeks, you can rest assured. If the signs persist or grow bigger, then you need assistance to deal with it. It may be the onset of a bigger problem. Anonymous

Q. I have a fear of travelling. My job requires a bit of travelling and Iwas happy to do so.Recently I havebeen experiencing some anxiety about leaving home. I am afraid of public transport, such as taxis, buses, and even planes. I am also afraid of driving my own scooter or car. Earlier I was comfortable and had no such issues but recently I am losing confidence and feeling fearful. I laugh at my own folly but the truth is that I am not able to do it. I don't understand what has caused it and am trying to figure it out. Please help me with some tips. If I need counseling then I will seek your appointmentand come to seeyoubecause I live inanother city in Maharashtra. Thank you.

Ans. This seems to be the beginning of an anxiety disorder. The fear of travelling could be incidental and not the real reason. Since you mention that you were able to travel and even ride your own car and vehicle but now you are feeling fearful. We need to look into the reasons and the circumstances for the onset of anxiety. It could be any stated or unstatedeventinyourlifethatcansparkoff anxiety.Sometimes it could be an event from the past, known or unknown that can upset the mind. Be assured that it can be taken care of and treated well. You may need to come for a few sessions to evaluate the reasons and also to train you in the methods of anxiety management. There are many ways to handle anxiety and control it.You can lead a normal life and function as well as before. It might take some time and a few sessions. Please contact me in January as I am travelling this month.

Note: Readers are requested to write short queries in approx 150 to 200 words. Furthermore, do not use abbreviations in career queries to avoid confusion. The columnist can be reached at rita_aggarwal@hotmail.com or visit www.manodaya.org for further details.