Anxiety in children

Children, and adults for that matter, have anxiety for a variety of reasons. For some of us, it feels like a normal part of our life, while others seem to have control over it. There are those people who seem to be able to relax, while others are fretting about the "what ifs." Regardless of who we are, everyone feels anxiety at various times throughout life. Especially children who have to completely rely on adults and learn about dangerous things that are very real. Parents often have a hard time knowing whether the anxiety in their son is typical development, or a sign that it could be something more. Especially parents who are prone to anxiety, do not recognize when the constant worries of their child are extreme. Some worries are typical of development, while others indicate a greater problem.

When to get help:

1. If your child's natural reaction to most new situations is anxiety, it may be helpful to seek counseling to help your child develop more appropriate strategies for dealing with stress.
2. If there has been a significant stressor in your child's life, counseling for a brief period of time can help your child deal with the situation. This will also model appropriate ways of dealing with stress when future stressors arise. If there has been abuse of any kind, do not hesitate to seek help.
3. If your child's reaction to stress is rare but significant, counseling can be beneficial. For example, If your daughter typically holds in her emotions, but suddenly has extreme outbursts, this is a sign that she may have more intense anxiety than you realize. Learning how to express her emotions regularly could be a good idea.
4. If your gut tells you there is a problem, seek help. Usually parents have a good sense of this. Parents sometimes worry that they are just being overanxious and making something out of nothing. Don't worry, a little counseling won't hurt anyone.


Please do not ignore anxiety in children. Children who are anxious are developing maladaptive thought patterns that are much more difficult to break in adulthood. It's never too late to make changes in oneself, but the earlier one begins to break the patterns of anxiety, the easier it is. Also, having anxiety in childhood makes a person much more likely to develop an anxiety related disorder in adulthood.




Anxiety Disorders described in the Diagnostic Statistic Manual, Fourth Edition Revised (DSM-IV-TR)

Panic Attack: a period where there is a sudden onset of intnese apprehension, fearfulness, or terror associated with feelings of impending doom. Symptoms include shortness or breath, chest pain or discomfort.

Agoraphobia: anxiety about places or situations where escape might be difficult

Specific Phobia: anxiety provoked by exposure to a specific feared object or situation, often leading to avoidance behavior

Social Phobia: clinically significant anxiety provoked by exposure to certain types of social or performance situations

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: obsessions (marked by anxiety) and compulsions which serve to neutralize anxiety

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Re experiencing an extremely traumatic event

Acute Stress Disorder: Occurs immediately in the aftermath of an extremely traumatic event

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: at least 6 months of persistent and excessive anxiety and worry.