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An anxiety disorder is a mental health problem that can affect
people of all ages, including children. In fact, anxiety
disorders are the most common type of mental health disorder in
children, affecting as many as ten percent of young people.
All children experience some anxiety; this is normal and
expected. For example, when left alone at preschool for the
first time, many children will show distress; a young child with
his or her own room may develop a fear of the dark. Such
anxiety becomes a problem when it interrupts a child's normal
activities, like attending school and making friends or
sleeping. Persistent and intense anxiety that disrupts daily
routine is a mental health problem that requires intervention.
What Are the Most Common
Anxiety Disorders in Children?
There are several types of anxiety disorders. The list below
describes those most common to children.
Generalized Anxiety
Disorder - Children with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
have recurring fears and worries that they find difficult to
control. They worry about almost everything - school, sports,
being on time, even natural disasters. They may be restless,
irritable, tense, or easily tired, and they may have trouble
concentrating or sleeping. Children with GAD are usually
eager to please others and may be "perfectionists," dissatisfied
with their own less than perfect performance.
Separation Anxiety
Disorder - Children with separation anxiety disorder have
intense anxiety about being away from home or caregivers that
affects their ability to function socially and in school.
These children have a great need to stay at home or be close to
their parents. Children with this disorder may worry
excessively about their parents when they are apart from
them. When they are together, the child may cling to parents,
refuse to go to school, or be afraid to sleep alone. Repeated
nightmares about separation and physical symptoms such as
stomachaches and headaches are also common in children with
separation anxiety disorder.
Social Phobia - Social
phobia usually emerges in the mid-teens and typically does not
affect young children. Young people with this disorder have a
constant fear of social or performance situations such as speaking
in class or eating in public. This fear is often accompanied
by physical symptoms such as sweating, blushing, heart
palpitations, shortness of breath, or muscle tenseness. Young
people with this disorder typically respond to these feelings by
avoiding the feared situation. For example, they may stay
home from school or avoid parties. Young people with social
phobia are often overly sensitive to criticism, have trouble being
assertive, and suffer from low self-esteem. Social phobia can
be limited to specific situations, so the adolescent may fear
dating and recreational events but be confident in academic and
work situations.
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder - Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) typically
begins in early childhood or adolescence. Children with OCD
have frequent and uncontrollable thoughts (called "obsessions") and
may perform routines or rituals (called "compulsions") in an
attempt to eliminate the thoughts. Those with the disorder
often repeat behaviors to avoid some imagined consequence.
For example, a compulsion common to people with OCD is excessive
hand washing due to a fear of germs. Other common compulsions
include counting, repeating words silently, and rechecking
completed tasks. In the case of OCD, these obsessions and
compulsions take up so much time that they interfere with daily
living and cause a young person a great deal of anxiety.
Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder - Children who experience a physical or emotional
trauma such as witnessing a shooting or disaster, surviving
physical or sexual abuse, or being in a car accident may develop
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children are more
easily traumatized than adults. An event that may not be
traumatic to an adult-such as a bumpy plane ride-might be traumatic
to a child. A child may "re-experience" the trauma through
nightmares, constant thoughts about what happened, or reenacting
the event while playing. A child with PTSD will experience
symptoms of general anxiety, including irritability or trouble
sleeping and eating. Children may exhibit other symptoms such
as being easily startled.
What Can Parents and Caregivers
Do?
By identifying, diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders early,
parents and others can help children reach their full
potential. Anxiety disorders are treatable. Effective
treatment for anxiety disorders may include some form of
psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, or medications. Children
who exhibit persistent symptoms of an anxiety disorder should be
referred to and evaluated by a mental health professional who
specializes in treating children. The diagnostic evaluation
may include psychological testing and consultation with other
specialists. A comprehensive treatment plan should be
developed with the family, and, whenever possible, the child should
be involved in making treatment decisions.
Children's mental health matters! To learn more, talk to a
doctor or mental health professional, contact your local Mental
Health Association, or access the resources below:
National Mental Health Association, 800-969-NMHA, www.nmha.org
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, www.aacap.org American
Psychiatric Association, 888-357-7924, www.psych.org American
Psychological Association, 800-964-2000, www.apa.org
Federation of Families for
Children's Mental Health, 703-684-7710,
Children and Adults with
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, 800-233-4050,
Head Start
Mental Health Resources, 866-763-6481,
Knowledge Exchange Network, 800-789-2647, www.mentalhealth.org
National
Association of School Psychologists, 301-657-0270,
Children's Mental Health Matters is an initiative of the
National Mental Health
Association's Campaign for America's Mental Health. This
nationwide public education campaign is supported by a coalition of
national organizations and state and local Mental Health
Associations and their partners. Through this program, NMHA,
its affiliates and partners offer educational materials for
children and their families on a variety of topics including
anxiety disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,
bipolar disorder and childhood depression, and mental wellness.
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