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Anxiety in Children: Signs, Symptoms, and How to Help

Both children and adults experience anxiety symptoms in some ways. But in some instances in the case of children, the level of anxiety seems to be too bothersome, enough to alter their normal daily life. Children experiencing anxiety symptoms may have feel a sense of nervousness, intense fears and worries that could almost unbearable to control.

Childhood anxiety is a serious behavioral concern, and is something that every parent should take seriously. Research shows, in US alone, 5.6 million kids (9.2%) had been diagnosed with anxiety problems.

Anxiety in Children

Anxiety in Toddlers, Kids, Teenagers: Signs, Symptoms, Treatment & How to Help

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness or agitation, often about something that is going to happen. A child may experience this behavioral abnormality when there is a major stressful event that happened to him, which will require a change in his present situation. The change can either be positive or negative, but most often it is caused by a negative situation.

Once we understand the meaning of this behavior, the next step is to understand why a child suffers from anxiety or what causes it. Sometimes, these situations are caused by the parents themselves. If this is the case, we should immediately correct ourselves.

A very common reason why our children suffer from this behavioral disorder is because we neglect them. It may not be our intention but because of the demands of our modern society we are forced to work full time, thereby, not being able to spend time with our children.

But parents are not the sole cause of childhood anxiety. There are situations such as physical injury or other forms of illnesses, which can bring about grave amount of trauma caused by the pain or even the process of recovery.

This may apply when the event lead to debilitate them and suspend their usual activities. It can be quite frustrating when their injury will not allow them to participate in school activities or anything that they used to enjoy prior to the accident.

A child who experiences this condition may very well be withdrawn. This is the time to be specifically attentive of their behavior; make sure to watch out for the following symptoms: bed-wetting, decreased appetite, nightmares, stuttering and upset stomach. Some emotional changes may also occur: aggressive behavior, new or recurring fears, anger, whining, crying or inability to relax.

We shouldn’t stop at knowing the symptoms, but rather we should be pro-active in learning how to handle these situations. The most helpful strategy to handle an anxious child is to talk to him. Parents should be aware of what the child is going through.

Providing for their material needs is only superficial. What is more important is to make sure that we are there for them when they need us.

Children and Anxiety: A Modern Mismatch 

It seems a bit odd that modern society has learned to accept that children and anxiety is normal. In the olden days, when life is simpler and not too much demands are expected from individuals, the concept of anxiety is far-fetched even for adults, most especially among children. But this idea is no longer true. 
In fact, parents have learned to embrace the truth about their children suffering from some form of anxiety.

This behavioral disorder and I am serious when I say that it is indeed a disorder, comes in many forms and is caused by several factors. What we think to be an easy task for adults may be a source of stress for our children, thereby leading to anxiety disorder.

It is best that we get ourselves familiar with what are the common types of anxiety so that we can easily detect anything similar in the behavior of our children.

Take for instance generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It is characterized by several unexplained conditions that are mostly unrelated to any physical ailment. Children who are suffering from GAD are often constantly fearful about something or anything that is unfounded.

There are several physical and emotional manifestations of this behavioral disorder. It is good to know what these are so that you can monitor your child in case you suspect that he may be suffering from this condition.

If you notice that your child is experiencing any of these, it may be a sign that he is suffering from anxiety disorder:
  • wetting his bed at night,
  • stuttering,
  • changes in his eating habit or worse skipping meal time,
  • shallow sleep and frequent crying at night,
  • bad dreams, headache, upset stomach,
  • worrying too much,
  • not being able to relax,
  • fears that are coming back,
  • asking too many questions and are not satisfied with any answers,
  • crying,
  • aggression,
  • withdrawn, and a lot more.
It may be a good idea to consult a professional once you confirm the above symptoms that your child is suffering from anxiety disorder.

    Read more here on → Anxiety Disorders in Children

It may also be good to check what the sources of this behavior are. Sometimes, without noticing it, the parents are the ones causing anxiety in children. We have to check ourselves if we are becoming too demanding or worse, we are not being able to provide them with their emotional and psychological needs.

Knowing the level of anxiety that our child experiences is crucial for the kind of treatment that it may require. We should be proactive in dealing with their condition because it may lead to serious ailment that will affect their future development.

Symptoms of Anxiety in Children

Some of the common physical symptoms of an anxious child:
  • nightmares,
  • bed-wetting,
  • decreased appetite or any obvious change in his eating habits,
  • stuttering and upset stomach.
You may also want to be observant of his emotional patterns such as:
  • inability to relax,
  • anger,
  • aggressive behavior,
  • whining,
  • crying,
  • new or recurring fears (this may translate to not being able to sit still specially when it is dark or when he is alone or when there are strangers), and
  • losing interest in participating in school activities. This may be particularly apparent when prior to child and anxiety experience, he is quite active in school.
It is a sad fact that there is a growing concern about anxiety disorder and adults are not only the ones affected but also children. Perhaps the growing demands of a fast-paced lifestyle is one of the culprits and because parents cannot cope with the demands of work and family life, their children suffer, which results to anxiety disorder in children.

Anxiety in children at some point can still be considered as normal. It is their way of coping with the changes in each phase. A very common and normal form of anxiety beginning at 8 months old up to pre-school is separation from their parents, specifically their mothers. They easily feel agitated when they don’t see their mothers, especially upon waking up.

It is also common among young children to experience short-lived fears of the dark, storms or even animals.

But at a certain degree and at some point, children who are much older should outgrow these “fears”. And if they don’t these may very well be categorized as anxiety disorders in children, which come in various forms. Here is a quick list of their symptoms:

Separation Anxiety – children are constantly thinking that there might be something wrong that will happen to them or their parents if they are not together. As a result, they refuse to go to school or be away from their parents. They frequently have stomachaches and other physical complaints. They also miss out the fun of sleep over because they don’t want to be away from mom or dad.

Phobia – It is defined as extreme fear about something; common examples of phobia among children are: fear of dogs, water, blood and even needles. As a result, they don’t enjoy engaging activities that involve their sources of fear.

Social Anxiety – It is the fear of meeting or talking to people. They don’t enjoy being around their peers because they fear that they will be made fun of or they will make a mistake around them. As a result, they have very few friends outside their family and have the tendency to be isolated in school.

A grave result of anxiety disorder is low self-esteem. This is another serious problem that parents should watch out for because it will definitely affect their future. Children with low self-image can be very reserved and withdrawn. They are usually unproductive and inactive, which can be deterrence to their over-all growth and development.

Watch out for these symptoms and if you suspect that your child is suffering from severe anxiety disorder, don’t have second thoughts about consulting your pediatrician. They are the only ones who can give proper diagnosis and corresponding medication. Arresting this situation as early as possible is your child’s only chance to overcome anxiety disorder.

Anxiety in Toddlers

Adults respond their stress in a very different way according to the situation they’re getting in. But children like toddlers are the most susceptible to any stressful situations because this stage comes with great challenges on the part of the toddler and of course, the parents.

The anxiety is toddler is often related to separation from the nearest family or caretaker. Although separation anxiety starts as early as 8 months, it also affects children ages 2-3 years.

Another is the fear of strange places and faces where the toddlers are able to recognize the difference of them. They are afraid of meeting new people because of the unfamiliarity on their daily living and that they think it could threat them physically.

They also fear of certain animals or insects that are too scary for them.

With these different reasons of anxiety in toddlers, still feeling anxious is indeed normal as it will be gone until maturity. However, there are cases where the anxiety could continuously affect children to the point it interferes their normal daily activities.

To avoid this thing to happen, parents are advised to use strategic ways on how to help their children in assisting them to handle their own anxiety. The following tips may use to help them.

How to Parent an Anxious Toddler

Ease the fear with comfort. Comforting the child by giving hugs and kisses could relieve the anxiety they feel. Parents should not fail in rescuing their toddlers once they are attacking with anxieties. A good way of providing comfort to a toddler is to distract him from the stress by encouraging him to participate playtime that involves you and him.

Encourage the expression of fear. It is common that toddlers have difficulty in expressing their fears and worries because their cognitive aspect is not well-developed. By inviting them to talk what makes them feel anxious and what they are afraid of could help them release their tensions. It also helps toddlers cannot elaborate or describe well what they see and imagine like strange figures and animals.

The role playing of separation. Preparing the child on how to develop his sense of independence at an earlier stage could help him to lengthen his tolerance in separation. By encourage him to participate in role-playing that demonstrate the sequence of the events just like leaving and coming back will give him an understanding about the situation. Also, explain the importance of the role playing and how does it help the toddler to cope the separation in an actual setting.

Gradual approach. Exposing the toddler to a strange people, animals or environment in a slow manner could lessen the chance of developing anxiety problems since toddlers are known to have active imagination and perception of the surroundings but could easily adapt the every new situation. Helping him to face unfamiliar figures and event could make him able to conquer his fears.

What Every New Parent Should Know about Anxiety in Toddlers

Having a baby is no doubt the most wonderful thing that could happen to anyone in the world. The family wouldn’t be complete without the arrival of the new member and everything is just so exciting. As months go by, you deal with different challenges regarding taking care of this little angel. From changing diaper to making them sleep, these are just some of a few things parents need to deal and enjoy. In the same sense is dealing with anxiety in toddlers.

Not all babies are the same. In fact, some babies prefer to be around with the people they always notice to be present – their parents and primary caregiver. Others are friendlier and would greet everyone they see. Generally speaking though, most babies and toddlers experience anxiety when around with other people. Other parents love this as this may keep their children away from easily going with or roaming with strangers.

The problem then starts when children’s anxiety becomes extreme that they won’t even stay with their grandparents or babysitters. They cry and scream as other family members and friends try to approach them. In this case, you want your little one to be trained to become a little friendlier and comfortable when around other people, hoping that perhaps, they will develop the personality of being friendly and sociable as they grow up.

As parents, our natural tendency is to become protective with our toddlers. This is evident during the first year of the baby especially if it is the first one. But child experts suggest that allowing your child to see other people or visitors can help avoid the development of social anxiety in toddlers.

Though, parents are naturally at ease when children are near them, allowing them to stay overnight with their grandparents can be a good experience for them. Close relatives and other good friends’ homes can also be a good venue for overnight stay. Parents need only to trust these people and be willing to leave their children in their care.

Don’t be overprotective. Allow other members of the family or even extended families cuddle and hold your child. That alone would be helpful in training your child to be comfortable when around other people. On top of that, children who are used to being held by others are more prone to overcome anxiety all by themselves naturally.

Now that is not so hard to do. Parents who follow this advice are more likely to have extrovert and outgoing children. As they develop the habit of being around with other people, anxiety in toddlers will eventually disappear.

Anxiety in Kids

As your child grows up it is normal for him to experience some anxiety along the way as this can be beneficial to him. As a matter of fact, children and young kids may encounter different types of anxiety problems just like adults do.

The challenge parents must face however is to be able to recognize anxiety symptoms in kids so the moment anxiety comes out, they will already have the capacity to deal with it and secure their children’s well-being.

This task can be a little bit tricky since children may be expressing their worries and fears in a different way and may display symptoms which can be hard to recognize. Not to mention that the signs of anxiety varies from age and the source of it.

While children are bad at showing some symptoms of anxiety, parents need to ensure they give them the attention they need and reduce or completely take away anxiety as quick as possible. Otherwise, their regular fear may turn into anxiety disorder and other chronic psychological problems. Below are 30 symptoms parents need to look out for in order to quickly assist kids with anxiety problems:

Anxiety in Kids Symptoms

  1. Sudden occurrence of allergy problems
  2. Headache and dizziness or feeling lightheaded
  3. Chest pain and chest tightness
  4. Easily gets tired and fatigue
  5. Excessive sugar intake through sweets and chocolates
  6. Having difficulty speaking or talking
  7. Frequent urination
  8. Palpitations or racing heart and pounding heart
  9. Shaking, jitter, and tremors
  10. Grinding teeth
  11. Nausea and vomiting
  12. Lack of appetite
  13. Tingling sensations in some parts of the body like hands, feet, legs, arms
  14. Abdominal discomfort
  15. Extreme and unrealistic imaginations about their fears
  16. Constant need of reassurance
  17. Fear of irrational things
  18. Fear of being left by the parents or loved ones
  19. Fear in being in the public or being in the crowd of people
  20. Fear of meeting visitors at home or strangers
  21. Fear of dying
  22. Having difficulty concentrating or having constant trouble with studies
  23. Obsessions about getting better or being perfect at all times
  24. Difficulty in sleeping
  25. Experiencing frequent nightmares
  26. Having trouble meeting new friends or poor social skills
  27. Failing at school or getting low grades
  28. Irritability
  29. Extreme shyness
  30. Avoidance behaviors and isolation of oneself
When you notice your child having a few or more of the signs and symptoms mentioned above then your child must be suffering from one or more forms of anxiety disorders. When this happens, it is best to make the necessary steps right away to reduce anxiety. And while there are many techniques out there in killing anxiety, what is highly recommended is for you to set aside some time to talk to your child.

Most children would open up to their parents about their worries when given the chance to be listened. Listen patiently and don’t rush things and make quick conclusions. Kids with anxiety need understanding and they can feel that from you. When your children trust you and are able to relate to you their worries and fears then they are most likely to relax and reduce stress and anxiety.

Anxiety in Teenagers

Adolescent is a period in an individual’s life where many changes physically, emotionally and socially can be seen. Sometimes, the anxiety is so slight that it actually helps teenagers to become better and develop some life skills, but on the other hand and in most cases the journey is rather frustrating and full of stressful day to day encounters. Anxiety in teenagers is also very common today; teens now face much more challenges compare to the teenagers in the past decades.

Research shows that genetic component can be one of the causes of anxiety disorders in teenagers. But many experts agree that most of the anxiety in kids is caused by the things in their environment. One is divorce of the parents. Children in broken families are found to be more prone to anxiety disorders which can lead to substance abuse and even suicide.

Bullying is also seen to be having great impact among teens. People who are bullied have very low self-esteem – a factor that is very needful in overcoming anxiety and self-doubt. They also have very high level of stress compare to other children from other countries where bullying is not that popular. Children bullied most likely get so stressed out which can lead to other health issues.

Peer pressure is also a common thing in older kids, especially when they start going to secondary school. The need to be recognized and accepted has always been what every teenager’s desire.

Some peer groups are too proud to receive other kids in their circle whom they see are struggling financially or lacking their perceived social standards. Some teenagers find ways to join groups at school at the expense of their own welfare. Group members make other members of the group do things which are literally wrong. As an effect, teenagers belonging to such groups ended up losing their sense of individuality and the stress just develop more.

Teenagers living in a home where domestic violence is a common occurrence also have very high stress level. Domestic violence is very devastating and can have lasting effects on children and teenagers. Teens with this kind of problem are usually very secretive and defensive. They are always afraid about other people at school to know their current situations.

Teenagers raised in such a relationship are prone to have the same situation when they too decide to start a family of their own. They are more aggressive and violent compare to kids who are raised in a loving family.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Major Symptoms of Anxiety in Teens

Getting through teenage life is perhaps the most challenging part for some individuals. The number of physical and emotional changes, stress at school, difficult decisions to make like choosing the right friends to stay with, and peer pressures, they also have the difficulty in finding their identity and meeting what are expected of them; all of these are just some of the many things that contribute to the pool of anxiety in teens.

Some of the most common signs for chronic anxiety in teenagers are; irritability, fatigue, extreme mood swings, changes in sleeping habits, and depression. When teenagers are depressed and feel they have no one else to turn to; they then become prone to smoking, drinking, and using drugs for escape.

While doctors have some anti-anxiety medications to teenagers it is still the best choice to deal with anxiety in teens without the use of any drugs and synthetic medications. Below are some of the things parents can do to protect their teenagers from anxiety disorders and alcohol and substance abuse:

Take the time to listen

Teenagers need the every attention they can get from their parents. And what they really need is someone who can understand the emotional difficulties they are into. They don’t need someone who would preach sermon to them. They need parents who can become their friends and who are willing to understand them. In many cases this alone can already help solve anxiety in teens.

Know the facts

Many parents are ignorant about the effects and dangers of drug abuse. And many don’t realize how convenient it is for children today to have access to these harmful substances. When parents know about these basic facts, they are better equipped in keeping their teenagers away from these. Also, when parents are knowledgeable about the harmful effects of these substances, they can educate their son about it too, thereby warning them about taking such.

Gather all the support you can get

Extended family, good friends, and even neighbors can be a source of great comfort for those teenagers suffering from depression. Many people are saved from committing suicide because they realized they have many people who care for them. If you are a member of a certain church, ask some counsel from your leaders on helping your teenager.

Finally, if you see professional assistance is needed, choose a treatment program for anxiety in teens for your child where the entire family can assist. Remember that the best source of help and comfort your teenager can get are just within the walls of your own home.

How to Help a Teenager with Anxiety

Dealing with stress is considered to be a normal part of a person’s life. It remains as a natural response when somebody has a problem that affects his/her emotions and mentality. Unfortunately, many people are not able to cope up with the stress because of the pressures brought by the society, family circles and media. Among them are the teenagers who are greatly affected with it. Because of competitions, many of them can feel anxiety at some points of their lives when they feel they are left behind.

The modern trends in the society are the most common factors that add up to the anxiety in teenagers. The stage of adolescence is packed with lots of excitement and at the same time, pressures. These pressures start from the family where the parent’s way of guiding their teens are too strict or too loose. When a teenager is restricted with some activities that could limit his time to enjoy what he wants, it often cause to rebellion. Because of this, the teenager may resort to be with the peers as he feels he is free and accepted by the people around him.

Another pressure that contributes to teenager’s anxiety is the academic aspect. The stress in school as well as the exams and homework ignites the teenagers to excel in this matter. There are some students who are not doing well on their academic functionalities because of their mind set that it could only affect their social status in the circle. There are also students who compensate their excellence to sports as it will give them boost to themselves.

It is not uncommon that the pressure of parenting and schooling affect the behavior of the teenagers. A lot of changes may happen because of its strong influence. For parents, setting limits on disciplining their teens will pose a good benefit. They may give their teenagers a sense of self-independence to learn to explore new things on their own but guided properly.

Giving comfort may also help them to ease them if there is something that is bothering with them. The parents should encourage their children to talk to their problems so that it could light up the burden they carry. If the teenagers fail to overcome their personal struggles, it often lead to depression and the suicide tendencies are high among them.

Anxiety in teenagers can be manageable if it is not taken for granted. Parents must guide their teenagers properly as these people are known to imitate and adapt what is happening in their surroundings. If the parents are having difficulty of handling their teenagers with anxiety problem, they may want to seek for a professional for guidance to apply what kind of parenting treatment is most helpful.

How to Help a Child with Anxiety

Most children today if not all suffer from one or more forms of anxiety. It cannot be denied that everywhere you look today; there are a lot of things that can stress out our children:
  • At school, they can feel overwhelmed at times as they try to reach for what their parents or teachers expect of them.
  • Peer pressure can also be threatening to them. And don’t forget the bullies always lurking around finding the right time to attack their victims.
  • Not to mention other challenges at home which can give a child traumatic experiences.
So the question is; what would be the best treatment for anxiety in children parents must know.

First of all, you might want to consider learning some of the most common symptoms of anxiety in children. You can tell if your child is suffering from anxiety when he has constant thoughts or worries about his parents’ welfare.

If they try to avoid meeting with other kids or having trouble making new friends then that is also one indication that he is having social anxiety.

Also, it is a common symptom of anxiety in kids when you can’t leave them alone at home or at school with other people.

Children who have gone through traumatic events or experience also have frequent nightmares. They also have problem getting to sleep and staying asleep. They have unrealistic fears for animals, the dark, etc.

Shaking, freezing, headaches, stomach aches, panic tantrums and chest pains or having trouble breathing are also some of the typical physical symptoms of anxiety in children.

Knowing these primary symptoms will help you find the right treatment for anxiety in children.

While anxiety in children can have long or lasting effect on kids, the truth is, it can be cured. Treatment for anxiety in children and remedies are available anywhere today.

Child experts can tell you that if you don’t want to treat your child’s anxiety without having to purchase medicines for him to take, you need to start spending more time today with your child talking and listening. Giving your child the chance to have someone whom he can share his worries and other fears with can be just so comforting to them.

Researchers also found out that deep breathing can be a great way for your child to regulate blood circulation in his body, thereby, giving him the advantage of being able to relax.

A proper diet should not be ignored as well. Child physicians agree to the fact that excess sweets or chocolates in a child’s system can help increase the level of stress. The same thing is also true with caffeine.

And don’t forget what a regular exercise can do. Children with regular exercise and are involved in other physical activities are less likely to have intense anxiety.

These are probably some of the best natural treatments for anxiety in children.

Here’s some of the Greatest Ways in Dealing a Child with Anxiety

It is really hard to grow a child dealing up with anxiety. Adults may have anxiety problems but children may have as well. Anxiety problems can relate to factors that give us fear, succumbs our own weaknesses, and once we cannot help ourselves try to face it, we end up curling in one corner, afraid to go out of the world.

A child with anxiety is perhaps one of the hardest things to deal in this so-called life. Being a child requires a parent so they can be look after to, plus they need extra attention even though they all live in their “own world” a lot.

So what do you do if your child is having anxiety? How do you let them and teach them to cope up with anxiety? Is it possible to help them but let themselves figure out how to cope up with the stresses? Here are some ways where you can help your child deal with anxiety.

In dealing a child with anxiety, one must know the signs and symptoms of anxiety. We may be able to know that our child is dealing up with something if they ever present some signs and symptoms in their behalf.

Learn to watch for physical manifestations including vomiting, headache, tiredness, and abdominal aches. These are often symptoms that occur after some stressful events.

Excessive shyness to most of the persons around you means that your child is having anxiety.

Watch out for grades and academic performances. If they are consistently low, your child may be experiencing anxiety. They may find themselves having trouble concentrating over their studies, or they may even feel some restlessness and irritability at the same time.

Knowing the factors and the signs and symptoms that trigger anxiety to your child may help you recognize what kind of battle they are facing within. So to help them overcome anxiety, there are a few steps that you need to take to help manage your children.

If anxiety is really awful that you yourself cannot help cope up together with your child, then try taking them to a child health care professional.

Try doing a research about child with anxiety. It is really important to help out your child bearing with anxiety if you know the basic signs and symptoms and what they usually do if they are anxious.

Give and spend a time together with your child. Basically, your child just needs attention and focus of care because they are feeling scared or anxious. Do not give them a lot of affection but just be sure to be with them especially when they need someone to talk to.

Encourage your children to develop self-confidence. Talk to them on how to build up faith and confidence. This can practically help overcome fears, rejections, and anxiety.

A child with anxiety may only perhaps need a parent’s attention. They may have all wanted to have their parents focused their love towards them. This is why it is of utter importance to know what causes the child to be anxious and what remedies can be done to help your child overcome anxiety problems.

Here’s a 3 Step Method to Help Your Child Overcome Childhood Anxieties

Childhood anxieties are relatively more common to a child nowadays. While a parent may be stressed and be filled with anxiety, children nowadays can also concur some anxiety-filled life. There are several factors that can help a child trigger childhood anxieties.

Some children may seem asymptomatic from the very beginning since childhood anxieties can often start as a mimicking behavior and can often be mistaken as a normal function. However, symptoms of childhood anxieties may start as early as 18 months, when a child experiences separation from his or her parents. If the symptoms happen always, then the tendency is that the problem may become severe.

   See also: Child Anxiety Treatment

Anxiety in Children Symptoms Checklist

But how would you know if your child is having anxiety problem? Here are some quick lists that you can see whether your child is having childhood anxieties.
  • Fatigue or easily gets tired
  • Poor concentration
  • Restlessness
  • Headache
  • Temper tantrums
  • Irritability
  • Sleeping disorders
As a parent, you must watch for your child whether they are presenting any signs and symptoms towards anxiety problems. Seek help if they are showing signs and symptoms related to anxiety problems. To help ease their anxiety, here are some 3 methods that you can do to help them overcome childhood anxieties.

Learn about anxiety disorders – as you continue to learn your child trying to hide his or her feelings regarding anxiety, you must learn what anxiety disorder is. You will be able to handle your child more easily if you know the signs and symptoms and the do’s and don’ts. You will be able to handle things with a lot of care since you know what to expect for a child with anxiety problem.

Train your child – help your child know the basic and common signs and symptoms for an anxiety disorder. Reassure your child that you are willing to help. Try talking to them about anxiety problems and why they are experiencing it. Ask them what triggers their anxiety problem.

Seek professional help – do not try doing things you don’t actually know. If you cannot help yourself and your child overcome their anxiety problems, seek professional help. You can bring your child to a healthcare physician because they are the best ones that can help equip your child with the knowledge and exercises to help combat anxiety problems.

A lot of parents may end up thinking that “professional help” means therapy and drugs. This may not be true. Seeking help towards a professional physician may help your child by asking them several questions like what triggers their anxiety problems, what they can do to help overcome anxiety attacks, and learn more about anxiety disorders.

Childhood anxieties can bring a lot of pain especially to a child but this can be helped by turning every anxiety attack as an opportunity to help your child overcome their own fears and establish self-esteem.

Contrary to what most people believe, child anxiety is very different from that of the adults. This is especially true when we talk about severe and uncontrolled anxiety which can be now categorized as anxiety disorder. Children suffer more than adults with this one. And unlike older people, most children, if not all, can’t do anything all by themselves to treat this kind of disorder.

That is the reason why it is always wise for parents to interfere when signs of anxiety behavior can be sensed in their kids as early as possible so to be able to find the best child anxiety treatment.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of parents like you who are looking for help with their children’s anxiety. And getting the best help will not always be the case. With very limited knowledge about the matter, you get desperate about your children’s overall well-being. The truth is the better you know about the details of the situation or what your child experiences, the better you will be able to help him and find child anxiety treatment. Let’s begin.

- Generalized Anxiety Disorder which is the fear or the tension a child can have about anything around him. He is especially tensed about going to school, being with other students or kids, performance at school, etc.

· The second is Phobias. This is another form of mental disorder where children find ordinary events or things happening everyday to be life threatening like strong wind, lightning and thunderstorms, animals, strangers or heights.

· Another is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder where children have difficulty controlling their thoughts and their actions. They are obsessed about something that they keep on doing the same thing over and over again like arranging and rearranging objects, biting nails, washing hands, checking door knobs, etc.

· Post traumatic Stress Disorder is a type of mental disorder where memories from past traumatic experience keep on coming back to them. Many children with this problem have history of child and sexual abuse, witnessing deaths and crimes, and survival from tragic events.

· Separation Anxiety Disorder is of anxiety disorders children have to deal with at some point of their childhood life. With this disorder, children couldn’t take a single moment getting separated from their parents or the primary caregivers.

If you find your child having one of the problems discussed above, you should not panic yourself. Instead, stay calm so you can better find ways to deal with the situation. It is recommended to have an intimate talk with your child about what he is thinking and what he fears or worry about. There are also a lot of resources online about child anxiety treatment. And consulting a child expert or a psychiatrist is also a good option to help your child get out from anxiety disorder as soon as possible.

  See also: Anxiety Disorder in Children

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An intrusive thought is an unwelcome, involuntary thought, image, or unpleasant idea that may become an obsession, is upsetting or distressing, and can feel difficult to manage or eliminate. (source: Wikipedia ) Common examples of intrusive thoughts include unwanted, intrusive thoughts about the safety of oneself or others, causing distress, and thoughts of performing dangerous actions. These thoughts may lead to negative behaviors, which may increase vulnerability to future experiences of trauma. Intrusive thoughts have been linked to recent life stress, sleep deprivation, prior anxiety, and childhood abuse. The state of depression , suicidal ideation, or anxiety may also be caused by the release of stress hormones. Analysis of studies in subjects who had experienced prolonged periods of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found that intrusive thoughts and flashbacks are associated with greater than 50% of symptoms, especially memory fragmentation. Intrusive thoughts often occur

OCD: Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatment, Help, Cure

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder , more commonly known as  OCD , is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder and is characterized by way of persistent, undesired thought processes (obsessions) and/or repeating actions (compulsions). Obsession, in this case, is highly unpleasant as the individual is compelled to repeat certain behaviors again and again. The condition, most of the time, is anxiety-related and the  thoughts are unwanted and intrusive . Sufferers often understand that these thoughts are irrational, but by performing compulsive behavior, they believe they will be cured or will be relieved. Recurring actions such as hand washing (to avoid catching germs), counting numbers, checking things over, or cleaning are frequently carried out with the anticipation of avoiding compulsive thoughts or making them disappear altogether. This is to avoid their obsession turning into reality. OCD is a common mental condition that affects 2.5 million adults or