Recognizing Anxiety in Children

The effects of anxiety in children can every bit as debilitating as they are in adults and it is estimated that approximately 10% of all children suffer from some form of anxiety.  Much like adults, anxiety in children can manifest itself with both physical and mental symptoms. A child may constantly complain of headaches or feeling sick, which if combined with episodes of nervous behavior should be treated or it can lead to adult anxiety disorders that can be much harder to manage.

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The biggest problem with a child suffering from anxiety is the effect that it may have on their future as it can easily be ruined if they do not find a way to relieve the anxiety and learn how to permanently control it.  In milder cases, a child may find themselves not performing well in school as they concentrate more on their inner anxieties than they do on their classes  This in turn can add a new worry to the mix that will start a vicious cycle that will continue to escalate.

As the child’s anxiety continues to build, it can cause more physical problems that can manifest themselves as diarrhea, vomiting, constant headaches and stomach pains.  Left untreated these symptoms can lead to significant illnesses that could end up with the child being hospitalized.  Learning to recognize the symptoms of anxiety before they get out of hand is the best way to make sure that the child can get them under control.

Understanding what might be causing the anxiety is the first step in helping the child to gain control over it and then eliminate it from their daily life. Often anxiety in children is caused by a traumatic event that has occurred in their life, such as the death of a family member or being caught up in an automobile accident. With the help of a therapist, you can help the child to locate the root cause of their anxieties.

Treatments for understanding and eliminating these anxieties are similar to those used for adults.  Once the child has learned what the cause of the anxiety is they can be taught relaxation methods that can help lower their stress levels on a daily basis.  Often family therapy with a licensed therapist can help the child learn how to handle the stress.  Family therapy can also help the rest of the family learn ways to their child as they also learn how to be more understanding in dealing with any outbursts.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been used very successfully with children and teaches them to recognize the triggers that cause the anxiety and then over time to change the way they think in a more positive direction.  For many children, a major cause of anxiety can be their first day in a new school resulting in the thought that no one will like them. CBT teaches them to change the negative thought into thinking that they will be just fine. CBT can also teach them to meet their fears head on to prove that no matter what they might think, 99% of the time things will turn out just fine.

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While teaching children how to cope with their anxiety problems is a very important part of the cure, parents must also be taught coping mechanisms and the skills to help guide their child along the path of healing. If the parents are willing to work hard at helping their child learnt the necessary skills the child will soon overcome their anxieties and go on to lead a successful anxiety free life.