Childhood Anxiety: What Types of Disorders Do Children Have to Deal With

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In my last article, Childhood Anxiety: The Anxious Child, I did an overview of what Childhood Anxiety is and described the kind of anxiety all children can have as they encounter new experiences in their young lives. I also went into what signs parents should watch out for that might indicate that their child may be showing signs of a more serious anxiety problem which should be dealt with early to prevent further childhood anxiety issues.

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“It’s really sad how one day I’ll seem to have everything going right
then the next day I’ll lose everything so fast.”
–Unknown

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Toward the end of my article I listed a number of anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, selective mutism, separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobia. Most anxious children can have a combination of any of these listed above. In this article, I will cover the first two disorders.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder

According to Boston Children’s Hospital (http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad)” generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive & uncontrollable worry about a variety of events. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as headaches, muscular tension, restlessness, heart palpitations, and stomach upset. Children and adolescents with GAD may worry excessively about their performance and competence at school or in sporting events, about personal safety and the safety of family members, or about natural disasters and future events.”

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They went on to say that the difference between what is considered to be normal feelings of anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder is that GAD children will worry more often, much more intensely than is normal, and in excess. These worries which can be accompanied by other physical symptoms, can lead to major distress and difficulties with daily activities. Many of these generalized anxiety disorder children are usually self-critical and tend to avoid activities because they fear that they cannot perform perfectly. They need reassurances from parents, teachers and others frequently but these assurances give only temporary relief from worries.

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“It’s sad, actually, because my anxiety keeps me from
enjoying things as much as I should at this age.”
-Amanda Seyfried

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In another article from (http://www.childanxiety.net/Generalized_Anxiety_Disorder.htm) they said that generalized anxiety disorder is associated with at least three of the following symptoms: restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbance. It went on to say that there are studies that have shown that GAD children benefitted from education about the nature of anxiety, educated about the ways to identify, evaluate and change anxious thoughts, and training in relaxation. GAD children are taught to learn to recognize the physiological symptoms of anxiety and are also taught to use positive self-talk rather than negative self-talk. Parents are taught how to implement and practice skills with their children and how to provide reinforcement & rewards for the children’s success.

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Social Anxiety Disorder

According to the AnxietyBC (https://www.anxietybc.com/parenting/social-anxiety-disorder) they describe social anxiety disorder as follows, “Children and teens with social anxiety disorder have an excessive and persistent fear of social and/or performance situations such as school, parties, athletic activities, and more. They are extremely worried that they may do something embarrassing, or others will think badly of them. These children constantly feel "on stage," which can lead to a great deal of self-consciousness, distress, and avoidance. Some children are only afraid of speaking or performing in public, while others fear and avoid a wide range of social situations. Finally, being a shy or quiet child is not the same as having social anxiety disorder."

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Anxiety BC went on to list a number of facts about social anxiety:

1. Social anxiety disorder usually begins in early adolescence although can start earlier during the elementary school years.

2. It can develop suddenly after a stressful or embarrassing experience, or slowly over time.

3. There is some evidence that social anxiety runs in families so there may be other members who share similar difficulties to your child.

4. An equal number of girls and boys experience social anxiety, and in any given school year about 7% of children will have a diagnosis of social anxiety.

5. Some of the problems associated with social anxiety disorder include poor school performance, low confidence in social situations, trouble developing and maintaining friendships, depression, and alcohol or drug use.

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In another site, Anxiety Free Child (http://anxietyfreechild.com/child-social-anxiety), describe children of social anxiety disorder as being the type of children who want to be invisible thus they tend to avoid any behavior that might draw attention to themselves. They are quiet, withdrawn and tend to be overlooked in the classroom. Because of their quiet and withdrawn nature, parents and teachers may not realize how anxious the child is. It should also be noted that these children may not be able to effectively verbalize their feelings giving the impression that they are shy and going through a phase when in fact they are suffering from a treatable – anxiety disorder.

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“I get nervous about everything,
sometimes I literally don’t know why I’m anxious,
I just am and no-one seems to understand that.”
–Unknown

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Parents need to watch out for these following symptoms provided by Anxiety Free Child:

Emotional & Behavioral Symptoms:

• Persistent, intense fear of situations where the child is subjected to possible scrutiny or judgment from others
• Fear of situations where the child will be exposed to unfamiliar people
• Feelings of overwhelming anxiety in certain social situations
• Fear of social activities
• Avoidance of social situations
• Excessive fear of being thought foolish by others
• Dread of social events that begins days or weeks in advance
• A strong need to stay quiet, hidden, or be invisible
• An understanding that the fear is unreasonable or excessive

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Physical Symptoms:

• Blushing or red face
• Racing heart
• Sweating or hot flashes
• Trembling or shaking
• Nausea
• Dizziness or feeling faint
• Difficulty speaking
• Shaky voice

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According to Raising Children (http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/social_anxiety) parents can help their children by the following:

At Home:

1. Prepare your child for situations that make him feel worried or fearful. Act out the situation at home and practise things he can do to make it easier.
2. Encourage your child to do some ‘detective thinking’. For example, if she thinks that everyone will laugh at her if she answers a question in class, get her to ask questions like ‘What’s the evidence they’ll laugh?’ or ‘How do I know?’.
3. Tell your child about some of the times you’ve felt anxious in social situations. This will help him understand that it’s OK to talk about anxious feelings. He’ll also feel that you understand and support him.

At preschool or school or in other social situations:

1. Gently encourage your child to join in social situations and start new activities. Avoiding social situations will make the problem worse.
2. Don’t force your child to talk or do things in front of other people. When you’re with other people, avoid saying things like ‘Come on. Say hello to Jane. Don’t be shy’. If your child has an anxious reaction to a situation, don’t worry. Try the situation again another time with more preparation. Don’t punish or scold your child for ‘failing’.
3. Tell your child’s preschool, kindergarten or school about her anxiety. Also let them know what you’re doing to help your child. This way, other people in your child’s environment can give her consistent support.

When talking with your child:

1. If your child does something that normally makes him anxious – for example, talking on the phone – acknowledge his bravery with lots of praise. Tell him that you’re proud he’s trying his best. If other people are around, praise him quietly and make a big deal when you’re alone. This helps to foster your child’s self-esteem.
2. Avoid labelling your child as ‘shy’. If other people comment on your child’s behaviour in social situations, you could say something like ‘Actually, she’s quite outgoing around people she knows well’.
3. No matter how frustrated you feel, avoid criticizing your child or being negative about his difficulty in social situations.

Raising Children also encouraged that parents should seek help from the child’s school counselor, his/her pediatrician, a local children’s health or community health center or a specialist anxiety clinic.

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Because of the length of this article, I will end here and continue with the remaining 4 anxiety disorders in my next article. Thank-you for joining me in this journey about Childhood Anxiety. If you would like to follow me, please check HERE.

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This is my previous article on Childhood Anxiety if you are interested in reading it:

Childhood Anxiety: The Anxious Child (https://steemit.com/steemiteducation/@cabbagepatch/childhood-anxiety-the-anxious-child)

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