Anxiety in Children

​Despite anxiety disorders affecting one in eight children, 80% of them are not being treated. We can do better for our children and we must, because research has shown that children with untreated anxiety disorders are far more likely to perform poorly in school, miss out on social milestones & experiences, and engage in substance abuse.
Fear and anxiety are normal parts of childhood, but how do we know when these normal human emotions become more problematic? Essentially, the most important thing to look out for is the degree to which this interferes in their day-to-day life. There are also physical, emotional and behavioral cues to lookout for before talking to a family doctor or seeking the help of other professionals.

Physical

• Frequent headaches and/or stomachaches without medical reason
• Tendency to act restlessly, fidgety, hyperactive or distracted
  (doesn’t always mean ADHD)
• Refuses snacks/lunch at daycare and/or school
• Only uses the restroom at home
• Sweats and/or shakes during stressful or intimidating situations
• Frequently tenses muscles
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night

Emotional

• Often cries
• Very sensitive
• Without reason can become grouchy, irritable or angry
• Intense fear of making even minor mistakes
• High test anxiety (can relate to fear of failure)
• Phobias (dogs, bugs, heights) & exaggerated fears (extreme weather, ect)
• Has tantrums or meltdowns
• Fear of peer’s rejection
• Doesn’t play because of fears
• Worries about distant future events
• Constant nightmares (example: losing loved ones)
• Obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviors (fingerpicking, washing, ect)

Behavioral

• Constant “what if…” questions
• Avoids participating in group activities at school
• Isolates when pushed to work with others
• Isolates inside during recess or lunch
• Refuses to go to extracurricular activities, birthday parties or other social situations
• Does NOT want to go to school
• Need for approval from parents, teachers and friends
• Tendency to become emotion/angry when leaving parents or loved ones

To promote mental wellness in children with anxiety parents can show their children a more realistic way to view the world to challenge their fears of it. Sometimes their fears may be grounded in reality, so it is also important to not dismiss their anxiety completely. A clinic in Mountain Valley defined anxiety as, “The overestimation of danger and the underestimation of our ability to cope”. This can therefor point to how parents should consistently and gently challenge their anxious child’s “I can’t” with “You Can”. In addition to this, praise and reward children when they do push through their anxiety and participate in class, go to their classmate’s birthday party, ect.

For the parents who see their child’s anxiety become debilitating in day to day life, it is best to seek professional help. Mental health professionals can offer a strong foundation for children to learn how to cope with difficult emotions effectively now and throughout their life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBD), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Play Therapy are great treatment approaches to check for when picking a therapist for a child with an anxiety disorder. Research over more than 20 years has shown CBT is the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders, and DBT is also an extremely effective therapy with its main goal on regulating extreme emotions. Not all communication is verbal, and this is especially true for children, this is where play therapy comes in. Play therapy can be used to bring forth a child’s maladaptive behaviors and coping mechanisms which in turn allows the therapist to teach them effective behaviors.
​
For over 12 years I have been passionate about applying these treatments in my practice as well as other for children and adults. I would be honored to help provide your child with the tools they need to they can move forward in their life. Call or Email me today for a free consultation!

For More Information:

• Anxiety and Depression: Children and Teens
• Anxiety in Children
• Signs Your Young Child Might be Struggling with Anxiety
• Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Anxiety?

Author - Scott Turner

Dedicated Therapist for Over 12 Years