Getting Help For Anxiety In Children

Various phobias and anxiety in children often come and go during childhood and then disappear as the child matures. In reality, different fears often develop at various developmental stages in a child. For instance:

Toddlers are at an exciting time in their lives! They are exploring the world, learning to communicate with others, developing their physical and mental abilities, forming social relationships and learning how to make friends. At the same time, they are faced with new risks, new illnesses and bacteria, and many other challenges that will test their courage and strength. Anxiety symptoms in this age group should be taken seriously and treated as such. Children can be overly fearful of certain situations or may be afraid of people they see every day. Many times, they may even be afraid of the objects around them such as doors, rooms, and things they see and hear.

Children are not necessarily overly anxious about illness or death. This is normal. These young people will experience many anxious feelings at times. However, if there are repeated anxious feelings that interfere with functioning in daily activities like school, family life, social activities and sports, then medical treatment is needed. When the child is suffering from anxiety and avoidance behaviors, it may be a symptom of other conditions that must be dealt with.

There are several treatment options available for childhood anxiety. Your doctor will probably try one or more options to help your child feel better and lead a happier, fuller life. If you have been experiencing anxiety symptoms in your child, talking to your health care provider may lead to a diagnosis of your child’s condition and treatment options. Talking therapy is often used to treat these feelings in children. Cognitive behavioral therapy can teach your child how to think and behave in stressful situations.

Children with occasional anxiety and fear of things like the dark, the dentist, and the dentist may be referred to a psychotherapist for a regular counseling session. Talking to a therapist can teach your child how to face his fears by facing them head on, confronting them, and preparing for the situations that arise. The therapist may also instruct your child to learn coping skills to learn how to overcome these fears in the future. These skills include changing behaviors and reactions to situations so that they are no longer fearful of the object or situation that once caused a panic attack.

Other parents may seek cognitive behavioral therapy as a source of help for their child. Cognitive behavioral therapy can teach parents how to reduce their child’s anxiety symptoms. The parents and the child practice relaxation techniques and deep breathing. They may learn how to respond to situations differently so that they do not fear the outcome. Parents learn to notice the anxiety symptoms in their child and then they can teach their child how to react to them in different ways.

Some parents with generalised anxiety symptoms may turn to medication in a child who has frequent anxiety attacks in school or on the playground. While medication can help the child who suffers from panic attacks, this is not advisable for parents with more severe levels of generalised anxiety. Medication for generalised anxiety symptoms in children should only be used when the child is in school, at an age where it is safe for medication without the risk of dangerous withdrawal symptoms occurring.

Generalised anxiety disorder is very common in young people. Some people might even go on to develop generalized anxiety disorder as adults. If you suspect that your child might suffer from anxiety, you should seek professional help as soon as possible. The earlier that you start to get help, the greater chance you have of the disorder being treated effectively. If you are concerned about a loved one or a friend, you should see your doctor to get help for your loved one or the friend.