You may discover your child has fears about attending school, finishing homework, making new friends, and even experiencing a case of insomnia right here and there. But when these fears become intense and interfere with their daily functioning, it could be childhood anxiety. It could even be difficult to know when your child is experiencing anxiety, particularly when they’re studying to navigate the world round them. Thankfully, there are a few methods you can assist ease their concerns and teach them appropriate coping skills to reduce their worries.
What is ‘Childhood Anxiety’?
Childhood anxiety may not look the identical because it does in adults. For example, anxious children could even be clingier, simply frightened, and expertise somatic signs like complications and stomachaches.
It may even be difficult to detect, particularly since it’s common for children to expertise fears and concerns. While that is the case, it’s important to consider whether or not their fears get out of hand and disrupt their functioning.
When children don’t outgrow their anxieties, they expertise a number of different types of anxiety disorders;
- Separation anxiety is common in younger children round three and 4. Children expertise exaggerated fears of being separated from their parents or caregivers and refuse to go to school, have sleepovers, or sleep alone.
- Specific phobia involves children becoming overly anxious or worried about particular triggers such as sleeping, thunderstorms, darkness, and insects, to call a few.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder creates intrusive ideas and repetitive behaviors such as washing hands or checking issues over in response towards a particular obsession.
- Other anxiety disorders include panic disorder, selective mutism, and social anxiety.
Let’s discuss the signs and what makes children extra vulnerable to those anxiety disorders.
18 Symptoms of Childhood Anxiety
Childhood anxiety impacts a number of aspects of a child’s life, collectively with their home, school, and social life. And whereas anxiety signs are particular to the child, and the kind of anxiety disorder, there are a few general signs to maintain an eye out for;
- Anger
- Bedwetting
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Tense muscles
- Avoidance behaviors
- Nightmares
- Irritability
- Tantrums
- Crying
- Changes in urge for food
- Trouble at school
- Mood changes
- Refusing to go to school
- Insomnia
- Digestive problems
- Problems with concentration
- Social withdrawal
4 Causes of Childhood Anxiety
While the causes are not entirely understood, a mixture of a number of possible factors may function an explanation;
- Genetics. Brain wiring and different genes can manifest anxiety symptoms.
- Learned fear. Childhood anxiety can develop through direct expertise with fear or witnessing or observing a frightful event.
- Environment. Factors such as chronic stress, experiencing trauma, and anxious parenting may play a part.
- Psychological factors. A child’s temperament and learned coping methods can have an effect on their ability to deal with stress.
7 Parenting Mistakes that Make Childhood Anxiety Worse (and What To Do Instead)
1. Evaluate your response
Parents may not realize it, however their responses and behaviors can actually reinforce or contribute to their children’s anxiety. For example, when your child involves you about their concerns, you may reply with your personal level of distress. This is not surprising since it’s extremely distressing to observe your child’s struggles. However, attempt to chorus from feeding into their anxiety by being extra conscious of your response. Indeed, step one in serving to your kids is increasing your awareness. It can be hard to change your behavior, however becoming extra conscious of your personal anxiety can assist your kids handle theirs.
2. Not encouraging them
It’s terrible to witness a child’s anxiety and really feel helpless about resolving their concerns. Yet, many parents make the error of not encouraging them to grow. For example, if a child has anxiety about going to school, their parents may enroll them in on-line learning. While you don’t need to push your kids, you additionally need to discover a balance in teaching them coping methods to beat their anxieties. Grounding instruments like naming colours of objects of their surrounding environment, washing their face when stressed, or breathing techniques can teach them how to approach stressful conditions with a dependable toolkit.
3. Pushing them too far
Opposite of the earlier mistake, many parents forgo the balance and force their children to face their fears far too early. Even in case your intention is positive, your supply can backfire, worsening your child’s anxiety. Instead of utilizing the tough love approach, teach your kids how to approach a fear in a series of small steps whereas encouraging them. You may even use a much less frightening scenario to begin and information them through every step. Additionally, previewing environments that trigger their anxiety collectively may assist lower their anticipatory anxiety.
4. Believing they’re lying
If you believe your kids are mendacity or utilizing anxiety as an excuse, it can damage your relationship with your child and exacerbate the problem. This mistrust can additionally come throughout as insensitivity to your child’s legitimate concerns. Rather than believing they’re lying, learn to see the world through their eyes. When you perceive how their anxiety impacts their day-to-day, you’ll become extra compassionate and responsive rather than reactive.
5. Advocating too much
Parents have a pure inkling to guard their children, however their eagerness to advocate can worsen their children’s anxiety. For example, in case your child discusses a fear about making friends, you may really feel tempted to become overinvolved or overcontrol the situation. However, this eagerness could make them really feel you lack confidence of their ability to deal with their concerns. Instead, try talking and discussing possible options together. Ask for his or her opinion and assist steer them towards higher coping mechanisms.
6. Refrain from reassuring
Providing reassurance to your child’s concerns may appear harmless, however it can result in distrust. For example, in case your child experiences bullying, and also you reassure them it was a one-off encounter, you’re setting unrealistic expectations. If your child experiences bullying again, not solely will it eliminate belief between you, however you’re additionally hurting alternatives to present your kids how to deal with their anxieties. Instead, offer emotional support for his or her concerns and inform them it’s okay to really feel the way they do. Then begin teaching them they can survive anxious situations. This fosters independence, emotional resilience, and publicity to the anxious occasion itself.
7. Anxiety is treatable
Childhood anxiety can be difficult for each the parent and child. As such, you may really feel out of choices and overwhelmed with possible solutions, treatment plans, and strategies. But if you point out that nothing can help, it teaches your child that anxiety is too frightening and uncontrollable to manage. They then develop to believe anxiety is a half of their identity and any signal of fear or failure, ought to be avoided rather than approached with confidence. Therefore, if you observe ongoing anxiety in your children, openly discuss their emotions and talk them through the method of slowly approaching their concerns. This open dialogue will take away any embarrassment or disgrace of discussing their fears and present them it’s regular to really feel anxious.
Childhood anxiety is a stressful journey, however it’s one you and your child can overcome. Using the tips addressed on this text will present your kids their anxiety is manageable, controllable, and treatable. And above all, if you’re struggling to cope, it’s worth talking to a psychological well being skilled to debate available options.
This post contains affiliate links.
If you’re looking for tricks to alleviate childhood anxiety for your son or daughter and located this post helpful, please share it on Pinterest!
And if you’re looking for extra psychological well being associated tips, please follow our Mental Health board the place we share all sorts of nice ideas we discover every day!