Anxiety in Children - How to tell if your child is anxious + 7 Ways You can Help!
Anxiety is an evolutionary tool that – when experienced in appropriate situations – helps to keep us safe and alert. As children learn about the world and experience the changes that are an inherent part of growing up, it is natural for them to have some anxiety. However, when this feeling begins to pop up under unnecessary circumstances, it becomes a problem. Anxiety is tough for anyone, especially young kids. When kids feel overwhelmed by anxious thoughts, they can struggle to do everyday things like go to school or band practice. Anxiety in children can even cause them to avoid fun things like playdates with friends.
Common symptoms of anxiety in kids
Some of the most common behavioral symptoms of childhood anxiety include:
An intense and long-lasting sense of worry or dread.
Fear of or avoidance of people or places where people may be.
An intense need to always stay with a parent or guardian.
Specific, intense phobias which provoke worry even when the object of fear is not present.
Intense fear or worry about the future.
Other signs of emotional dysregulation such as anger outbursts or long-term irritability.
Tension, jumpiness, and being easily startled.
Fixation on something that went wrong in the past.
Some of the most common somatic symptoms of childhood anxiety include:
Fidgeting.
Digestive problems such as diarrhea or vomiting.
Frequent headaches or pain in the neck, chest, and shoulders.
Trouble falling asleep, trouble waking up, and nightmares.
7 Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Manage Their Anxiety:
1. Set Clear Expectations.
Setting clear expectations and helping your child create appropriate benchmarks will help create expectations and teach your child that she/he can work through anxious feelings and manage their anxiety with baby steps.
2. Validate Their Worry.
Don’t just say to your child “Don’t Worry!” or “Relax!” This doesn’t help them stop to worry. Instead, provide a listening ear and allow your child to vent to you and brainstorm solutions together.
3. Don’t Avoid the Anxiety.
Just like telling your child not to worry won’t make those anxious thoughts disappear, avoiding triggers of anxiety won’t help your child learn to cope. It’s better to help desensitize the triggers by taking small steps. By taking small steps, kids can learn to work through their anxiety and find ways to cope.
4. Help Them Build and Practice Ways to Cope.
One thing that helps anxious kids is having a list of ways to cope to use in a moment of anxiety. Here’s some examples you can practice together:
Deep breathing
Fidget Toys
Coloring or making art
Talking it out
Counting backwards from 10 or 20
5. Get Back to Basics.
Your anxious child doesn’t need to play every sport and attend every birthday party, but they do need the basic health and social needs like:
Good sleep
Healthy meals & plenty of water
Downtime to decompress
Free time to play
Daily exercise (taking a walk, riding bikes, playing at the park, etc.)
6. Empathize Often.
It’s important to empathize and provide emotional support to your child. This normalizes what they are experiencing, helps them understand that they are not alone, and that you will be there to help them through it.
7. Take Care of Yourself Too.
Parenting an anxious child can be emotionally draining and all-consuming. Between interrupted sleep and constant worries, child anxiety can take a toll on the parents and caregivers. Make sure to prioritize your own health needs so that you have the energy you need to help your child through this difficult time.
As a reminder, you never have to suffer alone. PLC specializes in providing quality mental health services for children, adults, individuals, and families. Please reach out today!
