Anxiety Disorders In children
It is natural that children will suffer from anxiety or fear at some stage of their development. Taking a test or the first day at a new school are occasions that most of us will have memories of. But in most cases, these perfectly natural anxious moments do not turn into irrational fears or anxiety disorders. Sometimes however, signs of this may begin to develop.
It is not always possible, or even desirable, to protect children from everything that life might throw at them, much as we might like to. And this means that they may be susceptible to similar kinds of anxiety disorders that afflict adults. Generalized anxiety may show itself in many ways.
Exhibiting an excessive degree of worry about normal events like going to school or completing homework. They may feel the need for things to be perfect and tend to redo tasks, beating themselves up if they don’t seem right. They might also constantly seek approval or reassurance.
Even very young children can show symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This is characterized by ritualistic behavior, needing to repeatedly carry out certain routines in order to alleviate anxiety. This may involve hand washing, counting objects or needing to recheck what has already been completed.
Full blown panic attacks are unusual in young children but may be seen in adolescents. If a child experiences at least two episodes of unexpected panic, followed by at least a month of anxiety that another one may occur, an anxiety disorder is a possibility and further investigation is recommended.
There are many fears that are common in childhood, such as fear of the dark or of thunder etc. These of usually not some thing to be concerned about and tend to fade away with time. But if such a fear persists over a long period and causes disruption to normal activities, it may be classed as a phobia. This may lead to symptoms like headache, nausea, or tantrums when exposed to trigger situations.
Children are not immune from post traumatic stress disorder, when exposed to tragic events like the death of a parent or family member, a serious accident or physical assault or a natural disaster. They can display similar reactions to an adult in the same situation. Poor appetite, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, constantly reliving the events or becoming detached and seemingly emotionless.
As well as the normal reactions you might see in an adult, children can show the signs of trauma in other ways. What might normally be thought of as a tantrum could be a reaction to events. They might act out the event in play as a way of coming to terms with it. They may cry excessively or or become clingy and demanding of attention.
Parents who have a strong relationship with their children are normally very good at spotting changes in behavior and knowing the difference between just the normal testing of the boundaries and something more serious. If any possible signs of anxiety persist, it never hurts to get them checked out.
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