Understanding childhood anxiety: causes and coping strategies

Have you noticed some behaviors in your child that left you in a dilemma on whether to seek professional help or leave kids to be kids?

Symptoms of anxiety in children are similar to those in adults. Still, they may manifest in different ways, for instance, avoiding certain activities that would typically be fun, becoming easily annoyed, and having problems sleeping.

But what causes anxiety in kids? And most importantly, how can it be effectively brought under control?

Recognizing anxiety in children

Anxiety can be detected through various signs that are displayed emotionally, physically, and behaviorally in children. You should understand that anxiety is, to some extent, a part of child development.

However, when these feelings are intense and prevent your child from fully functioning, they may be experiencing anxiety.

Here are some emotional signs:

·       Excessive worry or fearfulness: Perhaps your child is always worried about little things.

·       Difficulty concentrating or making decisions: This hinders children's ability to achieve their targets because they are incoherent.

·       Irritability, outbursts, or clinginess: They may yell more than they customarily do or act more overly dramatic. On the other hand, some anxious children seem to be clingier and do not want to let their parents or caregivers go.

·       Feeling out of control: Anxiety causes children to deem themselves unable to cope at all. You might hear them complain about being burdened or feeling powerless.

Here are some physical signs:

·       Headaches, stomachaches, or muscle tension: Anxious children may experience headaches or muscle aches even if they are not sick.

·       Difficulty sleeping or nightmares: Stress and anxiety are enemies of good health and can cause your child to have a destructive sleeping pattern.

·       Fatigue: Anxiety makes a child feel low on energy. They might appear to be always sleepy and lazy during the day.

·       Changes in appetite: For some children, anxiety leads to losing appetite, while others might eat more to cope.

Here are some behavioral signs:

·       Avoiding certain people or activities: Often, children with anxiety may stop engaging in activities that bring about anxiety, like making a speech in school, attending parties, or stepping out of the house.

·       Needing constant reassurance: A child receiving low scores may develop anxieties and regularly require attention from parents. They may have questions that they ask frequently or need assistance with tasks they should be capable of performing independently.

·       Engaging in safety-seeking behaviors: They may develop behaviors that make them feel safe whenever they are anxious. This could be holding a lucky charm wherever they go or insisting on sleeping with the lights on.

Causes of Childhood Anxiety

Note that there is no primary cause of childhood anxiety. Several factors are at play to contribute to the heightened likelihood of anxiety.

●      Genetics: Anxiety disorders can be hereditary. If a parent or a close relative of the child has the disorder, the child may have it, too.

●      Brain chemistry: Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the human brain that manage emotions. Biochemical abnormalities, which trigger anxiety disorders, occur when serotonin and norepinephrine are imbalanced.

●      Social and environmental factors: Factors like social isolation, childhood trauma, social and societal pressure, negative life events, stress relating to education, and physical or mental health problems can also lead to anxiety.

Coping strategies for childhood anxiety

How can you cope with the fact that your child has anxiety? Well, there are a couple of effective strategies to help children manage anxiety.

Here are some key approaches:

●      Let your child know that what they’re feeling is alright. Do not simply brush off their concerns; this is counterproductive.

●      Establishing a predictable routine can be comforting and reassuring for children who are struggling with anxiety. It makes them feel more in control of their environment.

●      Instruct your child on how to adopt some basic breathing exercises that can help reduce anxiety.

●      Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) assists a child in confronting and disputing unrealistic thoughts that cause anxiety. A therapist helps the child create a more constructive way of thinking to replace negative thoughts.

●      Exposure therapy can help children overcome specific phobias. It entails closely monitoring what they always avoid or are scared of. Over time, they become less afraid, adapt to the stimuli, and can handle anxiety in such situations.

Conclusion

Childhood anxiety disorders are normal. And the good news is it is easily treatable. Address anxiety before it gets out of hand and negatively impacts the child. If you sense the child is not improving, book a consultation with us here at Sunset Behavioral Health. We serve kids, teens, and adults in virtual mental health telehealth in Florida. You can book an appointment and be seen within 48 hours for a free consult. We can determine whether your child needs medical attention and, if so, what will work best.