Anxiety in Children

Anxiety is an inevitable part of childhood. The process of adjusting to changing routines in an ever changing world can cause tension and fear. The question is, when is anxiety normal and when is it a problem requiring professional intervention?
Children suffer similar forms of anxiety to adults, however, their symptoms differ from those exhibited by adults. Children at different ages will express different symptoms. It is often hard for us as parents or caregivers to know exactly what is going on with our children. Children tend to be less verbal than adults and often express their anxiety physically in the form of stomachaches, vomiting or headaches. At times they can burst out crying or react violently without being able to express why.

Anxiety disorders unique to children
There are a few anxiety disorders unique to children besides the ones similar to those experienced by adults. Following are a few examples:

• Fear of abandonment
  A fear of being abandoned by a parent or caregiver is normal in the early years. In general children develop stranger anxiety at about seven months and prefer to be held by mother or father. The infants exhibit crying behavior and distress when the parents leave the room. Parents offer a sense of security and act as a buffer between the child and the outside world. By age 3-4 the child is usually able to cope with short periods of separation from his parents. However, there are children who continue to experience separation anxiety well into their older years and this can impair their social and educational functioning.
• School Phobia
  A fear of attending school is another form of anxiety characteristic of childhood. This behavior may stem from fear of abandonment, peer pressure, or failure. Parents may incorrectly interpret this behavior as laziness or as an attempt to avoid school. It is important to remember that this may be a very real fear which requires evaluation and treatment.

Anxiety in adolescents
Young people face many new challenges during adolescence. They must cope with rigorous academic demands, a complex social milieu, and rapid physical changes . These challenges can cause social anxiety or test anxiety. Adolescence is also a time during which anxiety disorders typical of adults begin to develop, for example panic disorders. In many cases the adolescent is unable to articulate the fear, so it may be expressed through rebellious behavior or violence. Often anxiety disorders cause depression or lead to the use of alcohol or other addictive substances, or to truancy.

When to seek professional help?
You should seek professional help for your child if one or more of the following conditions exists:

1. If the child or adolescent experiences emotional distress or prolonged sadness, or frequent mood swings.
2. If day to day functioning is impaired, either at school or amongst friends.
3. If there is a change in eating habits, for example self- starvation or overeating, for an extended period of time.
4. If the child or adolescent displays a sudden dramatic change in his behavior, either acting violently, or secluding himself for a period of time.
5. If the child shows regressive behaviors, more appropriate to earlier stages of development, such as thumb-sucking in children or a fear of abandonment amongst adolescents, that persist over a period of time.

It is important to note that children’s behavior and moods may fluctuate during this time. The signs mentioned here are usually distress signals. If they do not pass within a short period of time it's a good idea to get counseling. Turn to the school psychologist or to mental health workers in your community.

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