6 Comments
Jun 15, 2023Liked by Jane Ehrenfeld

That Slate article was painful, so many young kids these days are so exposed to the worry and doom that seems more pervasive all the time. I'm sure you've had no end of advice, but speaking as a farm kid who turned into more of a techie (GenX), maybe Ash could use some time in a place where the world is smaller, and your daily worries involve chores, garden, chickens, cooking, and fishing... It is a grounding experience to actually participate in the lives of plants and animals, see where your food comes from, and actually labor to make it so.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Jane Ehrenfeld

I was heartbroken, reading your article in Slate. Our son had similar troubles, but also, of course, unique. It sounds like you are an amazing parent and I know how anguishing it can be to do everything by in your power to help but feel like it isn’t enough. Our son is 24 and mostly ok now. Looking back I wonder if I could have worried less about him getting behind in school and maybe kept him home for a year. Intensive outpatient exposure therapy was brutal but cured the panic attacks. Gender transition helped. We do much better now at always being on his side even when his behavior is frustrating. But even looking back we still don’t know what is best. Keep reminding yourself that Ash is so lucky to have you on her side, and try to take care of yourself.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Jane Ehrenfeld

I just read your article about your daughter in Slate magazine and felt everything you went through as we experienced something very similar with my son. Did anyone investigate the possibility of PANS/PANDAS (autoimmune encephalitis)? I couldn’t close the article without reaching out to you. That diagnosis saved my son’s life and it was a simple case of giving him antibiotics when nothing else worked.

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