Understanding Anxiety Disorders in Children

Anxiety disorders in children are not uncommon; many children will suffer from some form of anxiety at some point in their childhood. While most children won\’t have to deal with irrational fears or severe anxiety, these do not normally escalate into panic attacks or a fully fledged panic disorder.

As much as we would like to protect the innocence of children and prevent anything from interfering with their lives, it is not always possible. Children can be afflicted with certain types of anxiety disorders that are also seen in adults. A generalized panic disorder might be seen in children in a variety of ways. They might excessively worry about everyday events like school or things at home. They tend to be extremely hard on themselves and strive for perfection. They might redo tasks in an effort to get them to come out perfectly. They might also seek constant approval and reassurance from others.

One of the more common anxiety disorders in children is OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). In children as well as in adults, OCD is characterized by obsessive thought patterns accompanied by ritualistic coping behaviors by the sufferer intended to reduce their anxiety. In juveniles, this disorder is most commonly diagnosed at around the age of ten years, but it can be noticed in much younger children as well, with some children as young as two years old displaying symptoms. The disorder may manifest itself through behaviors like compulsive hand washing, overwhelming fear of making mistakes and compulsively counting, checking on or touching items.

A panic disorder is another anxiety disorder that might be seen in children. A panic disorder can be diagnosed in children who suffer from at least two unexpected panic attacks followed by at least one month of concern over having another attack. Typically it is not seen in young children but it can be diagnosed in adolescents.

Children can also exhibit an anxiety disorder though specific phobias; irrational fears towards specific objects, places or situations. Although childhood fears like being fearful of animals, storms or the dark can go away on their own, if a fear is persistent within the child for at least six months and interferes with their daily activities, the child is said to have a phobia. Symptoms might include suffering from a stomach ache or headache, a tantrum, becoming clingy, or freezing in place when confronted with the fear.

Children who are exposed to an extreme stressor like a sudden death of a parent, a natural disaster, an accident or a physical assault, or children who witness a traumatic event can suffer from post traumatic stress disorder which is another type of anxiety disorder. These children might display symptoms of not eating or sleeping, emotional numbing, reliving the event through nightmares or through playing, or fear that the event might happen again.

These anxiety disorders in children also affect adults, though the symptoms seen in adults and children may differ greatly. Children do not normally understand that their fears are not rational and in many cases they are incapable of explaining what they are going through, showing symptoms like tantrums, crying or clinginess rather than those seen in adults with the same disorders. If you suspect that your child is suffering from an anxiety disorder, contact their pediatrician and seek treatment for their condition.

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Understanding Anxiety Disorders in Children