Derry father creates children's mental health book after 3 year old daughter suffers extreme anxiety in lockdown

Derry father of two, Damien Carlin, has used his and his eldest daughter's experience to help other children suffering from mental health problems.

Damien's eldest daughter, Aoife, who was three at the start of the pandemic, started displaying unusual symptoms in April 2020. 

Damien explains: "It is difficult to describe but it was almost as if she was experiencing hallucinations along with a full blown mental breakdown. 

"She always loved going outside but she was refusing to go out or anywhere in the car.

"She then started being terrified of things she never was before, like the air freshener moving in the car or blinds blowing in the wind. She would go into a panic and all these symptoms were really sudden the way they came on.

"We contacted our GP who told us to take Aoife straight to the pediatric unit of Altnagelvin hospital. 

"The Doctors could not believe that a child so young, three and a half at the time, could have a serious mental health condition and instead assumed that she had meningitis or encephalitis. 

"This led to Aoife having to undergo a very stressful week of lumbar punctures, MRI, antibiotics, antivirals, blood tests, a further Lumbar Puncture under general anesthetic and a stay in the covid ward while they investigated the cause. 

"When no physical cause could be found we were basically discharged and left to our own devices."

As a result of her traumatic time in hospital, with the many tests and procedures looking for a physical cause to her symptoms, Aoife's condition and anxiety only worsened.

Damien studied everything he could online with regards to his daughter's symptoms and came across the idea to put her experience into a children's book to help her cope with how she was feeling.

Damien continued: "After the hospital, she was more anxious than ever and now was almost showing signs of PTSD, she was essentially having a nervous breakdown.

"I came up with the idea of putting her experience into a bedtime story and this had an immediate impact on her emotions and it helped her to talk about how she was feeling. 

"I changed the name of the wee girl in the book to Eva so that Aoife could process it as happening to someone else and that someone else felt just like her; she was not alone.

"The book also helped her to process the PTSD type symptoms she developed as a result of her stay in hospital. 

"Her ability to now talk to us allowed us to understand that the cause of Aoife's episode was a mixture of the lockdown and isolation and further stress added by the impending welcoming of a new baby into our family.

"She has come on leaps and bounds and loves being a big sister now to her little sister."

Damien has always been interested in writing and has written poetry and short stories in the past, but never attempted to have anything published. 

"My wife Marie encouraged me to try to get the book published in the hope that other children and families could benefit from it the same way that Aoife has.

"I have had feedback from other parents that say the book has helped their wee ones too and given their kids the confidence to talk about their feelings, which is so great to hear, that's what it's all about.

"The book is just all about giving kids and adults the courage to talk. Those feelings are difficult enough as an adult, I can't even begin to imagine trying to process that as a child. 

"We are just so relieved that she is okay and that our experience as a family can help other young ones and their families. That is a great thing to come out of something so awful at the time."

You can purchase Damien's book via: Eva Finds Her Smile: Amazon.co.uk: Carlin, Damien: 9781838753573: Books 

If you or your child is suffering from the symptoms discussed, please contact your GP.