Could it be Anxiety? Child symptoms can be different

May 24 / Erinnah's Treehouse
Let's talk about child anxiety. As parents, it's important to recognize the signs of anxiety in our children and provide them with the support they need. Anxiety can manifest in different ways, such as excessive worrying, difficulty sleeping, or physical symptoms like stomachaches or headaches.If you notice your child exhibiting these symptoms, it's important to address the issue with care and compassion.

Some ways to help your child manage anxiety include talking openly about their feelings, encouraging healthy habits like exercise and sleep, and seeking professional help if necessary.  Remember, it's normal for children to experience anxiety from time to time, but with the right support, they can learn to manage it and thrive. Let's work together to ensure our children feel safe, loved, and supported.

Here is a list of clinically recognised symptoms of anxiety in children, adapted from the DSM;
  • Does your child have a distinct and ongoing fear of social situations involving unfamiliar people?
  • Does your child worry excessively about a number of events or activities?
  • Does your child experience shortness of breath or a racing heart for no apparent reason?
  • Does your child experience age-appropriate social relationships with family members and other familiar people?
  • Does your child often appear anxious when interacting with peers, or try to avoid them?
  • Does your child have a persistent and unreasonable fear of an object or situation, such as flying, heights, or animals?
  • When encounting the feared object or situation, does he react by freezing, clinging, or having a tantrum?
  • Does your child worry excessively about her competence and quality of performance?
  • Does your child cry, have tantrums, or refuse to leave a family member or other familiar person when necessary?
  • Has your child experienced a decline in classroom performance, refused to go to school, or avoided age-appropriate social activities?
  • Does your child spend at least one hour each day repeating things over again, such as hand washing, checking, arranging, or counting?
  • Does your child have exaggerated and irrational fears of people, places, objects or situationjs that interfere with his or her social and academic life?
  • Does your child experience a great number of nightmares, headaches, or stomachaches?
  • Does your child repetitively use toys to re-enact scenes from a disturbing event?
  • Does your child redo tasks because of excessive dissatisfaction with less-than-perfect performance?
Reference
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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