Anxiety in children is a condition that is very hard to diagnose. When their kids show symptoms of anxiety, parents should immediately seek professional help.
Understanding anxiety in children
Does anxiety in children exist? Anxiety is a typical condition that everybody feels at one point or another in their life. When people do things that they don’t normally do, they feel nervous and tense. The most common reaction is to panic. But when the anxiety grows too strong and it becomes such a habit which is already affecting one’s life, it becomes a disorder. Anxiety disorders in adults are somewhat easy to diagnose because they are fully aware of what they feel only that most sufferers do not seek help. On the other hand, anxiety in children is usually confused with the behavioral changes they’re going through. As a matter of fact, many adults who have been diagnosed with anxiety problems have actually been suffering the same condition even when they were still young. As a parent, it is your responsibility to be able to distinguish and identify the symptoms of anxiety in children. Because if left untreated, your child may carry the burden until he/she grows old.
The symptoms of anxiety in children can be categorized into two: behavioral and physical symptoms. The behavioral symptoms include constant panicking, sadness, lack of focus and concentration in school, extreme shyness or aloofness, avoidance of social activities, spending time alone rather than with other kids, refusal to attend school and go to other places without their parents or guardians, persistent worries, fears, and the like. Some children show extreme anxiety symptoms such as sudden burst of anger, rebellious behavior, and too much want of attention.
The physical symptoms of anxiety in children are characterized by weight loss, upset stomach and other digestive problems, malnutrition, fatigue, muscle pain and tension, increased heart palpitation, redness or blushing, and headache. They experience the said symptoms whenever they are in social gatherings or activities and they start feeling uncomfortable about their environment.
Even though the symptoms have been clearly established by many scientists, many children react with anxiety differently. That is why until now, diagnosing anxiety problems among children remains to be a challenge to the healthcare industry.
Causes of Anxiety in Children
There are many different causes why children feel upset and anxious. Some of the most common scenarios that trigger anxiety among children are: loss of a loved one, moving, and stressful situations in school such as bullying, traumatic tragic events that they have experienced when they were still very young. Children who have been victims of abuse (mental and physical) are more likely to develop anxiety disorders and depression. Anxiety may also be inherited. Parents who have anxiety disorders are more likely to pass such condition in their children through their genes. Another cause of anxiety in children is the environment wherein the child lives. If they’re always exposed to cruelty, heavy and difficult situations, they might develop anxiety.
Anxiety in children may occur during stressful situations such as school, the loss of a loved one or moving. These are some of many different causes of anxiety in children. If parents believe their children are suffering from anxiety symptoms, it is very important to identify the issue and help them with it as early as possible.
Effects of Anxiety Disorders in Children
They say that the childhood is the most crucial stage of every person’s life. It is where individuals develop their attitudes as well as their values. The kind of person they will become once they grow up has something to do with what kind of child they were. According to psychologists, when the anxiety in children is left untreated, they have very high risk of performing poorly in school and developing social skills. They are also most prone to social abuse such as bullying. Since the problem will be carried by these children, they may face more challenges when they grow up. When they become adults, they might develop problems interacting with people, handling personal relationships, looking for a job and advancing their career.
Kinds of Anxiety in Children
· Separation Anxiety
According to studies, one in every 25 children suffers from separation anxiety. This is a condition that occurs when the child becomes too much afraid of being parted from their guardian (which is usually the mother). Separation anxiety in children is very common. There are kids that do tantrums during first day of school. They fear of being away from their moms even for just a few hours. Fortunately, this reaction is somewhat normal especially for pre-school children. They are expected to overcome such anxiety in due time. But when the child seem to experience same anxiety as of before (or experience even worse), it can be a kind of anxiety in children that needs professional help.
· Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive compulsion is widely known among adults but some children also suffer the same. In OCD, a child tends to repeat doing something over and over again in the fear that if he/she doesn’t follow such pattern, something wrong will happen. OCD anxiety in children can be very stressful. For instance, a child with OCD will repeatedly arrange his/her pencil case many times before going to school, worrying that he/she may forget something. The child does it in a repeated pattern. There are children who locks and unlocks the door several times before leaving. They are not usually aware of such behavior and even if they are, they still do it over and over again because they feel anxious and alarmed if they don’t.
· Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
This is a kind of anxiety in children wherein the child tends to worry too much about anything and everything. Worrying is a common feeling most especially in kids who are new to school. But when they start developing extreme reactions to certain stimuli, they may be suffering from GAD already. Examples are too much worrying and panicking on their homework, upcoming school activities, dealing with other people, and so on. There are children who also worry a lot on their parents’ and siblings’ safety.
· Panic Disorders
Panic disorder, which is another type of anxiety in children, is characterized by series of panic attacks. When a child is under panic attack, he/she bursts into a feeling of intense fear and horror. It may last for several minutes and during such time, the child may experience hyperventilation, difficulty in breathing, rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, tantrums, excessive perspiration, and extreme discomfort. This condition should not be taken lightly because the child might experience life-threatening symptoms.
How to Handle Anxiety in Children
Parents know best. There’s no greater gift that parents can give their children than a healthy and happy life. The most important aspect of managing anxiety in kids is recognizing it. It is crucial that parents invest quality time with their children not just to bond with them but also determine if their kids are suffering from any behavioral issues. According to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child in Harvard University, the positive and negative influences that happen in children’s life are critical to the development of their brain and lifelong health. The research, entitled The Science of Early Childhood, also pointed out the necessity of the parent-child relation in managing anxiety in children.
Children are very sensitive to their emotions. It’s easy to make them laugh but it also easy to make them cry. Parents should always listen to their kids and learn the right way of disciplining them. To prevent anxiety in children, they should make sure they are present during some of the most important events in their children’s life. It could be their graduation or school recognition, their birthday party, and so on. The power of touch is also something that parents should not ignore. According to experts, mere touching, holding, or tapping the child’s back can produce a great emotional and psychological impact. It helps the child strengthen his/her self confidence and emotional intelligence.