Almost all children experience some form of normal anxiety. Anxiety in children is expected at different times during development. From about eight months through the preschool years, many healthy children show high levels of fear or anxiety at times of separation from their parents or other caregivers. It is also normal for children to have short-lived fears, such as fears of the dark, storms, animals, and/or strangers. It is also normal for children to experience anxiety when they change schools (i.e. middle school to high school), try new things, perform in public, and/or when being evaluated for a desired achievement (i.e. making a team or judged in a competition). It is important to note that normal levels of anxiety do not immobilize a child. When anxiety and distress start leading to a pattern of avoidance behaviors it is time to start looking a little closer.
Anxious children are often overly tense or uptight compared to their same-aged peers. They often seek a lot of reassurance, and their worries interfere with activities. Parents need to be on the lookout to identify anxious children as they are often quiet, compliant and eager to please. Some anxious children are easier to identify because they throw tantrums, become defiant, and may even become aggressive when presented with a fearful situation. The important thing is that an anxious child is identified early to prevent complications. When an anxious child is identified late, they often have significant patterns of avoidance that interfere with the formation of relationships, enjoyment of activities, and a loss of opportunities that they may have benefited from. Such avoidant patterns often increase anxiety over time and result in a continuing pattern of debilitation.
Below are some categories of anxiety with related symptoms. These categories may be used as indicators for parents to help identify developing anxiety in their child. Most psychologists and other mental health practitioners can offer a screening test to further confirm suspicions.
· constant thoughts and intense fears about the safety of parents and caretakers
· refusing to go to school
· frequent stomachaches and other physical complaints
· extreme worries about sleeping away from home
· being overly clingy
· panic or tantrums at times of separation from parents
· trouble sleeping or nightmares
· extreme fear about a specific thing or situation (ex. dogs, insects, germs, or needles)
· the fears cause significant distress and interfere with usual activities (ex. avoids going
outside)
· fears of meeting or talking to people
· avoidance of social situations
· few friends outside the family
· regular worries about things before they happen
· constant worries or concerns about family, school, friends, and/or activities
· repetitive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) or actions (compulsions)
· fears of embarrassment of making mistakes
· low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence.
