Dr. Richard M. Spiegel, M.D.

Anxiety is a serious problem for many youngsters that is often not appreciated by adults and which can cause significant pain with negative sequela. You should certainly have this treated by a professional, as there are several excellent remedies, both with medicine and with therapy. Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a child psychiatrist (an MD who specializes in treating emotional problems of youth.)

True anxiety disorders are quite common in children, and this sounds much more than just "afraid of the dark". It sounds like he is in pain, and I would recommend taking him to a child psychiatrist for evaluation. There are lots of good treatments. Ask your pediatrician for a referral.

Bed wetting that persists to 8 years old (primary enuresis) is not uncommon, but it sounds like he was dry for years, then suddenly developed the symptom, which is a whole different kettle of fish, with multiple possible etiologies. First, you need to consider physical issues, such as a urinary tract infection, so have him evaluated by your pediatrician. New onset enuresis is also a warning flag for emotional distress. Something may be bothering him, even simply a change, in his environment at school, home or playground. If there are no physical explanations, having him talk to a mental health professional who works with children might reveal how you can help.

Theoretically a person is born with autism, but the symptoms may not be obvious for a while, particularly as there are varying degrees of autism. That is why it is referred to as a "spectrum" disorder. There are "high-functioning " forms where the symptoms can be quite subtle even into adulthood. There are also other conditions that can be confused with autism, such obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder. If you think it is interfering with his performance, ask your pediatrician for a referral to a child psychiatrist.

I assume she has always been like this and hasn't developed the behavior recently. If that is the case, it could well be she has ADHD. There are other medical diseases, such as thyroid disease, that can mimic some symptoms, but statistically much less likely. Talk to your pediatrician about it. If it is significant, it will eventually lead to social problems as an adolescent, even if her school performance is fine.