Anxiety is so common and pervasive that it can be a challenge to identify it. For plenty of people, anxiety disorders are part of their everyday life, so they may not recognize the symptoms. With this in mind, imagine how tricky it can be to know when a child is anxious. Kids, in general, are unpredictable. On top of that, they may not have the language to talk about their emotions beyond the basics.
Meanwhile, about ten percent of kids between the ages of three and seventeen have an anxiety disorder. Then, of course, there are those who have anxiety but have not yet received a diagnosis. We could all use a guide to get better at discerning the signs.
What Anxiety Disorders Do Children Struggle with?
The short answer is “all of them.” Anyone at any age can find themselves trying to manage anxious thoughts and feelings. Children can receive a diagnosis of any kind of anxiety disorder, for example:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Specific phobia
- Panic disorder
Each of these variations has some symptoms unique to them. However, children dealing with any of them will probably behave in some familiar ways.
How to Know If Your Child Is Suffering from Anxiety
The first step is to accept that anxiety is a normal and inevitable emotion. It’s there to protect and warn us. Hence, a child feeling nervous before a big test or game doesn’t automatically have a disorder. The red flags you want to watch for are more ongoing and sometimes subtle. Here are some examples:
A Tendency to Avoid
To a child, an anxiety disorder might feel like fear, doubt, or agitation. They don’t know that none of these are okay when experienced chronically. Their first instinct might be to withdraw so they can avoid such emotions. Keep an eye out for your kids turning down invitations or wanting to stay home from school.
Uncontrollable Worrying
If they didn’t do their homework or clean their room, then sure, it’s expected that they’ll be worried about the consequences. If anxiety is the culprit, your kid’s worrying will seem to be non-stop. It prevents them from handling typical daily functions. Pay close attention to what they say to you and others to see if they reveal what is worrying them.
Irritability
Every kid gets restless and irritable at times. This can be annoying, but it’s not automatically cause for alarm. If these moods are related to anxiety, the child may experience an inability to focus, forgetfulness, angry outbursts, or distractibility.
Unexplained Physical Symptoms
You’ll have to really tune into your parental instincts here. Some kids will complain about every tiny ache. Others might have a bellyache because they ate a bag of cookies. What you’re looking for is a steady pattern of, for example, headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, sleep problems, or digestive disturbances. Anxiety often manifests in our bodies, so it can be the root of any of these problems.
No One Expects You to Have This Figured Out
Anxiety disorders — especially in children — can feel mysterious and difficult to understand. Even the parents of kids with anxiety should not be expected to have all the answers. If you can differentiate between your kid’s behavior and the typical roller coaster ride that is childhood, you are not alone. It’s normal and wise to ask for the help they need and deserve.
Anxiety disorders are common and treatable. So why not reach out to get the type of professional guidance that can ease your mind and support your child? The sooner you do so, the faster they can bounce back and begin thriving again. To learn more about how we help children and adults using swLORETA Neurofeedback training please visit Liliana Sacarin – Anxiety Treatment – Seattle, WA
