Spotting the signs and symptoms of anxiety in my 6-year-old daughter - Anxiety diagnosis, long waiting lists & having to manage alone.
Ruth Carson says at first she never considered the possibility that her daughter Isabella could be suffering from anxiety but soon the signs began to confirm her fears.
“I had noticed that she could be overly emotional at times. She wasn’t emotionally resilient, was overly sensitive, and seemingly small things could lead to significant upset. She was also hiding behind hair, twirling and playing with it a lot as a stress response”
“13 months later and we’re still waiting for support”
With no formal help available at present for her daughter, Ruth decided to research other methods to help Isabella cope when she became overly anxious.
“With all the research I’d been doing, I came across Stix Mindfulness. It was clear from their profile that they were something that might suit my daughter’s needs. I knew a lot of research and insight would’ve gone into developing the device which helped me see their value and potential.”
Testing the Stix remotes
"The breathing activities help Isabella calm herself if she's feeling worried, whilst the balance activity helps her refocus or distract her from her anxiety. If she’s struggling to concentrate on homework for example, she takes a few minutes out to refocus. “She used them as and when she needed, and she wasn’t reliant on an adult helping her. However, she also loves that the activities were guided, so she didn’t have to rely on her memory. “They really do account for every type of learner, whether, auditory, visual or kinaesthetic. They are extremely easy to use and very child-friendly."
How have the Stix remotes helped Isabella?
“She’s become much more aware of her own feelings and those of others - she sometimes even offers Stix to me if she sees me getting ‘overwhelming feelings’. “They’ve really helped her develop emotional awareness. When she notices any sort of overwhelming feeling coming over her, it’s empowering for her to know she can do something to change it, and that’s a tool every child should be given. “So for us, it’s not just about mindfulness; it’s learning emotional literacy, empathy and coping strategies.”