Most children learn to manage with a variety of normal fears and concerns. However, extra help may be needed when:
In addition to feeling very anxious, children’s thinking is usually affected. The danger they are concerned with appears to them to be much worse than it actually is. Thinking about the condition that causes them to be anxious makes them more worried and stressed. Children with anxiety may develop their own ways to try to manage circumstances that cause them stress. Often this involves trying to avoid the situation or having a parent or other adult deal with it for them they may not want to talk about which them becomes a problem, avoiding the situation makes it more likely that the child will feel anxious and will not be able to manage it the next time.
How do you notice anxiety in children?
- The child feels anxious and worried more than other kids of in their class or and year level
- Their anxiety stops them participating in activities at school or socially.
- Their anxiety interferes with their ability to do things that other children their age do easily like preforming or getting up in front of the class.
- Their fears and worries seem out of proportion to the issues in their life. Such as their family may be very social and outgoing but they seem to be quite shy and not confident.
In addition to feeling very anxious, children’s thinking is usually affected. The danger they are concerned with appears to them to be much worse than it actually is. Thinking about the condition that causes them to be anxious makes them more worried and stressed. Children with anxiety may develop their own ways to try to manage circumstances that cause them stress. Often this involves trying to avoid the situation or having a parent or other adult deal with it for them they may not want to talk about which them becomes a problem, avoiding the situation makes it more likely that the child will feel anxious and will not be able to manage it the next time.
How do you notice anxiety in children?
- Avoidance of a range of issues and situations.
- Headaches and stomach aches that seem to occur when the child has to do something that is unfamiliar or that they feel uneasy about.
- Sleep difficulties, including difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and trouble sleeping alone.
- Lots of worries and a strong need for reassurance.