My son is 11 years old and....I am so lost, please help!

by Claudia Towell
(Memphis, TN)

Hi,

I am a little lost!
My son just turned 11 and it is becoming difficult to handle a few aspects of his life.
He won't eat lunches at school anymore, even though for years he would ask if he could buy lunch at school. (He attends a private school). I make him a sandwich everyday.
but, tends to not like any other home made food.

He still has accidents at night, at least once per week. Sometimes twice per week.
He is not sleeping well at all! In fact, this is the reason why I am on your page today, because I decided to look up kids who sleep on the carpet. He has a bunk bed, he sleeps well some nights, but other nights he will stay up all night worry about shadows and noises. He ends up in my room sleeping on the carpet next to our dog. It breaks my heart! He has a fan in his room since he was a baby for white noise.
He tends to get very sensitive at night, cries easily at night overwhelmed by things and emotions if topics are brought up.

Some other nights he is fine. I would say it is 50/50. He says he sees shadows at night.

I have had the hardest time buying him clothes in the last year. He will only wear 100% cotton t-shirts and only short sleeve even if it is freezing outside, however he will wear a jacket if it is cold. His t-shirts usually have to be simple, no crazy colors or drawings.
He has a peanut allergy.

Other than the above, he does well at school without much supervision, has an amazing memory (he memorized a long poem without anyone helping him, I was amazed). He loves to read, mostly books about mythology, percy jackson, etc. He loves animals very much. He plays in a competitive soccer team, plays well. He is an energetic and outgoing child, great physic, pretty normal looking kid. He has great behavior at school, he is not shy, but he is not wild either. I don't have complains from teachers. He is a good student.

I am not sure what to do... I feel like I am going crazy.

I have never been to the doctor with this, as it all has come out in the last year and a half. Except for the urinating at night, which I had read about some kids going through this until at least 12.

I don't want him taking medications... he seems old enough that I don't want him to think he is crazy if I take him to a doctor.

I am so lost!