Anxiety Children
What types of anxiety do children and teenagers experience?
Source: NHS
In this topic (10)
Common types of anxiety in children and teenagers are described below.
A fear or phobia about something specific
Children are commonly afraid of things like monsters, dogs or water. This is a perfectly normal part of growing up, but has thepotential to become a phobia(a type of anxiety disorder) when the fear becomes overwhelming andaffects your child's day-to-day life.
Read about phobias .
Feeling anxious for most of the time for no apparent reason
Whileit's normal for children to frequently have fears andworries, some anxious children may grow up to develop a long-term condition called generalised anxiety disorder when they become a teenager or young adult.
Generalised anxiety disorder causes you tofeel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event.
Peopleaffected by itfeel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed.
It can make settling intonursery or school or with a child minder very difficult.
Separation anxiety in older children may be a sign that theyre feeling insecure about something they could be reacting to changes at home, for example.
Social anxiety
Social anxiety is not wanting to go out in public, see friends ortake part in activities.
Social 'shyness' is perfectly normal for some children and teenagers, but it becomes a problem 'social anxiety disorder' when everyday activities like shoppingor speaking on the phone cause intense, overwhelming fear. Children affected by ittend to fear doing or saying something they think will be humiliating.
Social anxiety disorder tends to affect older children who have gone through puberty.
They may not always share these worries with you, andinstead complain of tummy aches or feeling sick. One of the signs is crying or seeming tired in the morning.
This may be a problem that needs tackling if it is significantly affecting their daily life (see below).
Less common anxiety disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder are other anxiety disorders that can occasionally affect children, but are usually seen in adults.
It's rare for children to have panic attacks .
Articles for Anxiety Children
How can an anxiety disorder be treated?
The type of treatment offered will depend on what is causing your child's anxiety. Counselling It can be helpful for your child to talk in confidenceabout what is worrying them to a trained person,
How common are anxiety disorders in children?
Nearly 300,000 young people in Britain have an anxiety disorder. In the UK, anxiety disorders are estimated to affect 5-19% of all children and adolescents, and about 2-5% of children younger than 12
How serious can it be?
Long-term anxiety canseverely interfere with a child's personal development, family life andschooling. Anxiety disorders that start in childhood often persist into the teenage years and early adultho
Introduction
NHS Choices information on anxiety disorders in children and teenagers, with links to other useful resources
What are the signs of anxiety in children?
Anxiety can make a child feelscared, panicky, embarrassed or ashamed. Some of the signs to look out for in your child are: finding it hard to concentrate not sleeping, or waking in the night with
What types of anxiety do children and teenagers experience?
Common types of anxiety in children and teenagers are described below. A fear or phobia about something specific Children are commonly afraid of things like monsters, dogs or water. This is a perfec
When is anxiety a disorder that needs treating?
It is probably time to get professional help for your child's anxiety if: you feel it is not getting better or is getting worse , and efforts to tackle it yourself have not worked you think it's
Where can I go for further information and support?
Anxiety UK Young Minds Royal College of Psychiatrists: mental health and growing up
Where should I go for help?
Seeing your GP You can talk to your GP on your own or with your child, or your child might be able to have an appointment without you. The doctor should listen to your concerns and offer some advice
Why are some children affected and others not?
Genes and personality Some children are simply born more nervous and anxious and less able to cope with stress than other children. Achild's anxious personality may be partly determined by the genes
