June 25, 2018

Living With a Child Who Has Anxiety

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New Video! I know, it’s been a while. I want to talk about living with a child who has anxiety, rigidity and unsafe behaviors. What that feels like for the parents. And how it controls everything.

Imagine having a person in your home who’s hyper focused on unsafe behaviors. Who doesn’t understand social norms. Who can’t hit reset when you tell them to stop. Their behaviors are relentless. They don’t take a break. They are hyper-focused. They want to escape from your home.

If you turn your back for a second they are out the front door. If you look away, use the bathroom, throw a load of laundry in the dryer, they have stripped your beds, brought every chair into your living room, ransacked your wallet, ripped apart a picture frame, etc. I could go on and on.

Until you lived it, you could never believe it. But, I can try and explain it to you. I can try and give you a glimpse inside.

Disclaimers: I am not complaining, even though I probably should be. 🙂 My son is not sick. He is not getting sick. He does not have an auto-immune disorder, immune deficiency or PANS or PANDAS. We have met with multiple doctors who diagnose PANS and PANDAS and Cooper does not have it. This sort of behavior happens when he has been away from our home for a period of time. This is how he regulates himself back to his normal self. I choose to share these experiences in a respectful way because most of the world has no idea.

https://youtu.be/fW_l3_Nh7As

Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.

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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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3 Comments

  1. Lorrie on June 26, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Kate, you are so inspiring and so amazing! Cooper is the luckiest child on earth.



  2. Nancy on July 1, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Kate, you are such an amazing Mother and both your children are so blessed to have you ! Thank you so much for sharing your life with us. I hope you know how much of a help you have been to those of us who value your opinion. God Bless you and your entire family! I think of you every day!!



  3. Romina on July 3, 2018 at 6:42 am

    Hi Kate! I want to thank you fom the bottom of my heart for posting this video. It feels as if I was the one speaking about my son. It is just relentless, it just feels hopeless and we are also at our wits end. My husband and I don’t even talk to each other anymore. We just desperately wait to put him to sleep at night so we can just have some time of quiet. I feel guilty for feeling so sad and lonely and I wonder if you have developed a coping mechanism for those really terrible days. Sending you a big hug! ?