No parent wants to see their child suffer from distress. It’s painful for a parent to know that their child is emotionally struggling, and not to know what the cause is or how to help them.
Emotional well-being and quality of life are directly correlated with mental health. In the early stages of a child’s life, mental health is delicate and vulnerable to many factors and triggers.
For various reasons, some children can develop anxiety, which is one of the most common children’s mental health disorders that affects roughly 7% of children between the ages of 3 and 17.
Anxiety disorder is characterized as chronic worrying or fear of certain things, people, or places. These fears can intensify and interfere with everyday life and emotional development.
Types of anxiety disorders:
- Social anxiety
- Phobias
- Separation anxiety
- General anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
Being able to recognize the signs of a possible anxiety disorder is the first step toward helping your child get the help they need to manage their symptoms and overcome their fears.
Can You Recognize Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety?
The signs and symptoms of an anxiety disorder can range from mild or acute, and can worsen if they are not acknowledged and addressed early on before they get worse. Subtle and early indicators of anxiety may not immediately cause alarm or concern, but they may be worsened by certain triggers and increase a child’s stress as they intensify.
If you notice your child showing behavioral or physical signs that are concerning, it’s important to observe and monitor them closely to see if they are symptomatic of an anxiety disorder.
Common symptoms of anxiety in children include:
- Anger or aggression
- Chronic bedwetting episodes
- Changes in appetite
- Concentration issues
- Fatigue
- Muscle tension
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Nightmares
- Social withdrawal
- Restlessness
How to Help Your Child Cope with Anxiety Symptoms
Part of overcoming fears and phobias is gaining confidence and having reassurance of safety. Enabling a child to gradually build their inner confidence can help decrease their anxiety. If your child is struggling with early signs of anxiety, as a parent you can help him or her manage their symptoms by validating their fears instead of dismissing them.
A child’s fears may seem irrational to an adult, but in their minds they are very real. Letting your child know that you respect the validity of their fear can help move them toward conquering it. You can also practice what’s known as cognitive behavioral therapy with your child at home. This involves careful and gradual exposure to fear-inducing situations to de-escalate triggers.
Final Thoughts
In some cases, anxiety may need to be clinically diagnosed so that it can be improved and resolved with appropriate treatment, such as specialized therapy or prescribed medication. With clinical anxiety disorders, it is important to get them diagnosed as early as possible so that a pediatrician or pediatric psychiatrist can recommend effective treatment.
Fortunately, all forms of anxiety and anxiety disorders are treatable, and symptoms can be managed so that your child lives a happy and healthy life without fear.
