Many Children Have Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders usually start at a young age effecting children and teens. Anxiety in children can be overlooked because parents can remember certain times in their childhood that had many uncomfortable feelings and also some awkwardness involved. Moving to a new school, going out on a date and even falling down can cause butterflies in a child’s stomach. Children can get nervous and embarrassed and this is a pretty common feeling to a child. But severe changes in behavior that seem really exaggerated could be warnings of an anxiety disorder in a child.
Some of these symptoms that a child may experience are a unrealistic worry about their daily events, the need of reassurance from authority figures, having severe self conscious behavior, extreme fear of certain social situations or events, sweating and dizziness, having pain or discomfort with no explanations, repetitive behaviors, an over reaction to having physical contact, and insomnia and having trouble sleeping. People love watching their child grow and change. As a child develops abilities and fascinations they will also develop new fears and worries that go along with it and this can be very normal.
A Child May Only Reveal a Few of the Signs of Anxiety
It just depends on the child. The Department of Health and Human services suggests that you observe a child’s behavior between the ages of six to eight years old for symptoms that come along with anxiety disorders. During this stage of development a lot of parents begin to notice that their children are less afraid of things in the closet and tend to become more eager to go to school instead of clinging on to mom or dad. There are ways that a parent can tell if their child may need to seek treatment for their behavior. If you think that your child may have an anxiety disorder then you may want to speak with a healthcare provider. A healthcare professional with a background for treating children can be a child’s best hope when it comes to living with anxiety. There is treatment for anxiety in children like behavioral therapy and medication. When you seek professional advise let the healthcare professional know everything about how your child is acting so that a proper treatment can be given to your child.
A Common Form of Child Anxiety: OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) usually begins in adolescence or young adulthood, although it is rarely diagnosed then. It is seen in as many as 1 in 200 children and adolescents and the rate is climbing. OCD is characterized by recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions that are intense enough to cause severe discomfort. Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are unwanted and cause marked anxiety or distress. Frequently, they are unrealistic or irrational. They are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems or preoccupations; they are obsessions that interfere with every day life.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or rituals (like hand washing, hoarding, and checking something over and over) or mental acts (like counting, repeating words silently, avoiding situations and objects).
In OCD, the obsessions or compulsions cause significant anxiety or distress, or they interfere with the child’s normal routine, academic functioning, social activities, and most relationships. The obsessive thoughts usually vary with the age of the child and may change over time, most of the time getting stronger and less subtle. A younger child with OCD may fear that harm will occur to himself or a family member, for example an intruder entering an unlocked door or window. The child may compulsively check all the doors and windows of his home after his parents are asleep in an attempt to relieve anxiety. The child may then fear that he may have accidentally unlocked a door or window while last checking and locking, and then must check again.
An older child or a teenager with OCD may fear that he will become ill with germs, disease or contaminated food. To cope with his or her feelings, a child may develop rituals (a behavior or activity that gets repeated) to make themselves feel better about the anxiety or fear. Sometimes the obsession and compulsion are linked; Fear is the root of their behaviors and conquering the fear means getting rid of the behaviors. Research shows that OCD is a brain disorder and tends to run in families, although this doesn’t mean the child will definitely develop symptoms. Recent studies have also shown that OCD may develop or worsen after a strep or other bacterial infection.
A child may also develop OCD with no previous family history, although some studies show that it can run in families. Children and adolescents often feel shame and embarrassment about their OCD, the same as adults do. Many fear it means they’re crazy. Good communication between parents and children can increase understanding of the problem and help the parents appropriately support their child.
Most children with OCD can be treated effectively with a combination of psychotherapy (especially cognitive and behavioral techniques) and certain SSRI medications or herbal treatments or example. Family support and education are also central to the success of treatment. Antibiotic therapy may be useful in cases where OCD is linked to streptococcal infection. Seeking help is the key to getting better. The further it gets out of control the harder it will be to reverse it.
If a child is having panic attacks they may be generated by an underlying OCD or another type of anxiety disorder. Self help for panic attacks should involve proven cognitive behavioral techniques in an easy-to-learn package. But it is important to recognize that for child anxiety, self help for panic attacks really means parent help for panic attacks. The child must take responsibility for conquering the anxiety, but only after the child clearly understands how he or she can be empowered by tools and techniques. The child is most likely to achieve success in his or her own self help for panic attacks if there is a loving, patient mom or dad who has gone through a self help for panic attacks course. The magic of peace of mind can come when the child can thrive with mom or dad as his/her coach.
