Need advice/help re: me having affect on child

[Ambers]

Hi,

I hope someone here can point me in the right direction to helping my little 3 year old. Seems my panic attacks/anxiety may have affected him?

Over the past 4 weeks, since I have pretty much been absorbed by this nasty mindgames disease called anxiety, I have noticed that my son is non-stop playing with his ears.

It is constant, he pulls at them, tugs, bends them - he does it when he is eating/drinking, story time, playtime, even when he is laughing. Last night it has really started to play on my mind - he couldn't sleep so got into our bed - and even as he was sleeping he had both hands over his ears.

Last week my husband took him to the doctors and he got the all-clear, no problems and he hears perfectly (when he chooses to ofc)

He is a sensitive soul, very much normal in other areas, he reads, inqusitive, active, social - slightly on the slow side for phyical development but catching up. We never shout at him (only a few times when there is danger) we talk to him all the time, explain everthing (although kept my current situration to a minimal - mummy is not too well and needs lots of sleep to get better), He appears happy with this?

Help - how can I help him to stop this - We ask him gently to leave his ears alone, but this is not working, does anyone have any ideas why he is doing this and how I can encourage him to stop.

I feel like I am too blame and it is worrying me (which isn't hard too do)

Thanks for reading - sorry it's long

[jude uk]

My son used to play with his nose all the time but grew out of it. I think many children can be amused with different parts of their bodies. Its best not to be over worried about it and maybe start to direct his attention to something else during the day. If you tell him to stop it he will most likely keep doing it....you know how kids love to tease us....

[Ambers]

Thanks Jude, he is sitting next to me right now playing with them - think you are probably right and hopefully he will grow out of this. I just worry about everything!

[ktloubish]

when my 3year old saw me have a panic attack she kept shouting "i cant breath " for days i felt terrible

[eeyorelover]

One thing doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the other in this case.
Try to redirect his attention to something else when he starts to pull on his ears.

Don't let this make you feel guilty! It quite possibly could have nothing to do with your anxiety.
I raised 4 relatively normal :) children while dealing with anxiety and have asked them since they have grown whether it effected their childhood and all of them have told me that it didn't!
xxx
Sandy

[baileys]

I really wouldn't worry about your anxiety's affecting your son.
Ive had anxiety all through my sons life, he is now 21 and an anxiety free lad. He was a very sensitive kid and had all sorts of strange things that he did but thats just what kids do.
You are doing all the right things, talking to him etc.
He will be fine, my sons perfect.