Child Anxiety
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:03PM
When Anxiety Strikes Young
Many of us only associate anxiety attacks or obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorders with adults. But anxiety can affect children as well. In fact, experts estimate that severe anxiety afflicts 10% of children in the United States. We tend to think of childhood as being a time free of any cares or worries. But it is completely normal and natural for children to feel anxious, sad or depressed. It only becomes a problem when this anxiety begins to interfere with their relationships and daily activities. Separation anxiety, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are common anxiety conditions that affect children.Separation Anxiety
At around eight months of age, your child will begin to recognize their loved ones (usually their parents) and notice when they are out of sight. In addition, your child has not yet developed a complex sense of time. So they cannot tell the difference between mommy leaving the room for a few minutes and mommy leaving the house to go to work for the day. Your child may respond to this kind of stress by crying until mommy returns. This type of anxiety is known as separation anxiety. Although its onset can vary widely, it generally occurs in children from eight months to two years of age and peaks around age one.
If your infant is experiencing separation anxiety, it may be both flattering and distressing for you. It’s nice to know that you are so loved, but difficult to deal with you the fact that they won't let you out of their sight. Try to gradually introduce new people to your baby to minimize their anxiety when you aren’t around. And if you must leave them with someone else for a time, try not to make a big deal about it. They’ll likely take thier cues from you, and if you stay calm and relaxed, so will they.
Your child may need treatment for separation anxiety if it persists beyond the toddler years. Seek the advice of your child's pediatrician or a qualified counselor if your child is refusing to go to school, has frequent stomachaches and headaches, seems overly clingy, or has trouble sleeping.
Kids and Phobias
It’s not uncommon for children to develop irrational fears or phobias. These types of phobias are generally focused on a specific situation, object, or event. Common sources of fear include the dark, monsters, their closets, dogs, and swimming pools. Children with extreme anxiety may develop stomachaches or symptoms similar to that of asthma. Just like adults may experience panic attacks, children may respond to their fears with physical symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shaking, shallow breathing, and sweating.
Treating Kids with Anxiety
Children who experience fear and anxiety tend to be nervous, particular, and avoid the stressful situation. They may have a hard time expressing how they feel, or what is causing their anxiety, especially if they are afraid of being scolded or embarrassed. Children need a safe and trusting environment in order to discuss their anxiety.
Without appropriate treatment, anxious and nervous children may develop other emotional or physical conditions. Eventually they may begin to avoid certain situations or seek comfort from friends that may not be equipped to offer them real assistance. Over time, children may begin to replace their feelings of anxiety and nervousness with those of anger, aggression, and depression. Therapy is the most common treatment method for childhood anxiety. In severe cases, medication may also be recommended to control symptoms.
Psychotherapy
With the help of a qualified mental health professional, children can begin a therapy program that helps them recover from their anxiety. Desensitization therapy is commonly used to treat phobias and other types of anxiety in both children and adults. Under the care of their doctor and possibly their parents, the children are slowly exposed to the source of their anxiety and learn ways to react to the object or situation in a more appropriate manner. Group therapy with other children who suffer from anxiety may be effective as well. Full recovery from anxiety can range from months to years. Most of the symptoms will usually begin to dissipate within a few months. Parents, too, may need to learn new ways to talk with their children about their feelings to better help them cope with their symptoms.
Medications
It’s difficult to justify giving children medication for anxiety. Their young brains are still developing and medications that alter the balance of chemicals in their brain could also alter its development. In addition, the medications used to treat anxiety could become addictive. Medication is usually the last choice for children and it’s typically reserved for those who are experiencing severe symptoms and have not responded to comprehensive psychotherapy.
Learn more about stress, anxiety, depression and the newest natural remedies at www.stress-anxiety-depression.org.
