Worry, Worry, Worry

I have a worry wart. Granted, I am a worry wart, so the fact that I have produced one is not entirely shocking, but bothersome nonetheless. My Q worries about absolutely everything. He worries about the normal 5 year old things like monsters and bad guys. But lately, he's been worrying about getting sick. Like pukey sick. I know, it doesn't seem like such a big deal except that every day (seriously, EVERY day) he has 'symptoms'. A sore tummy, a lump in this throat, a combination that ends up in tears. Ugh, my kid is having panic attacks.

This is not new to me. I get panic attacks, well I got them until my doctor prescribed this fabulous little pink pill (shout out to Paxil!!) And looking back, as a child, I most definitely had them too. I would worry about everything and nothing. The end of the world, being buried alive, my parents dying and me being left alone. You know, the standard angst of an adolescent. Okay, okay, maybe most kids worry about things like whether kids will like them, the big game on the weekend, the math test on Monday. My worries were irrational.

I don't know what to do, I am at my wits end. He's having meltdowns every single day. I'm trying cognitive therapy - I've tried to rationalize the fear...'Has it EVER happened?' I've tried giving him something else to think about 'I'm a healthy kid' and 'My mommy loves me!' I've told him to pray about it, 'Jesus, please take away my nervous tummy.' NOTHING is working. Maybe by acknowledging it, I'm making it worse. His father thinks I should take him to the doctor...which I've already done...it's a nervous tummy, it's normal for kids his age. I'm going to cut out all sugar and crappy food for the next week and see if that makes a difference. But, should I think about therapy for my 5 year old? Is it hereditary? Do all kids experience this?

Here comes my guilt. I know, way to make this all about me, right? Maybe if I was still with his dad and he came from a two parent family, Q wouldn't be having panic attacks. He wouldn't worry about things like bad guys and monsters. Every day, he's wake up in the same bed in the same house and wouldn't have to worry about being bounced from house to house to house. Every day starts out with, 'who's house am I going to today?' When he's with his dad, he misses me. He's become clingy to the point where I cannot leave him with someone else without tearful scene.

Any ideas? Helpful Hints? What to do, what to do??????