How can I help my 12yr old Grandson cope with HA?

[Catherine S]

I have suffered with health anxiety most of my adult life and now my daughter tells me that my grandson has started to suffer too, but although i can relate to others on here with this problem and have in fact been able to answer posts regularly since becoming a member and given advice to some of you I just don't know where to begin to help my grandson.

He started High school last September and is happy there and doing well but he is lonely as most of his friends from junior school are in a different group. My daughter said the school have been really good, with his teacher calling her for a chat about it all yesterday evening and they are going to try and find a solution for him.

My worry is that this health anxiety will stay with him even after the problem is sorted at school, and we all know on here how much it can take a hold and never leave. He's been asking questions about cancer and kidney disease and is worrying he has some serious illness. I don't know how to help him, which is really ironic coming from somebody who is an old hand at this kind of thing.

Are there any books to help children with HA? I wish Dr. Claire Weeks had thought about the children when she wrote her books for us!

Thanks
ISB X

[RoseEve]

There are books out there but if you can talk to your daughter about therapy and CBT. He is so young he should respond well to treatment. The longer anxiety goes on untreated the harder it is to treat. My OCD started when I was 11. I didn't get help and now I have GAD, OCD and HA.

[Catherine S]

Thanks RoseEve...yes I thought about therapy too because I know how these things can take a hold. The first step is to see if he gets over the fears after things change at school, then if not i'll have a chat to my daughter about therapy. Its sad that you didn't get the help you needed when you were young...you think you will ever come to terms with your anxieties in the present? Are you in therapy yourself?

[RoseEve]

I never told my mother about my anxiety. I thought my thoughts were crazy so I didn't share. I was in therapy but not CBT I am currently looking for a good therapist but it's expensive. I have been reading some books about CBT and doing the activities. It helps my anxiety waxes and wanes. I believe in time I will overcome it. I hope so anyway

[Catherine S]

Always remember that we anxies are among the strongest people, yet we always think we're the weakest. Take care X