If you have a child with anxiety you are most likely a little anxious yourself. It is heartbreaking to watch the baby you gave birth to suffer with anxiety and not knowing what you can do about it.
A child with anxiety will quite often experience fear in new surroundings as well as a lot of uneasiness which won’t go away. They often bite their nails and can suffer from regular stomach cramps and headaches. They also usually worry a lot about simple everyday things such as going to school or meeting up with friends. They are unusually quiet and uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings and don’t want to go out anywhere new.
What You Can Do to Help Your Child With Anxiety
The first thing you need to do to help your child with anxiety is consult your doctor. They will then ask your child (or yourself if they are too young) a series of general questions about their symptoms and how they are feeling. Your doctor will then refer you to a child phsyciatrist who will also ask questions and access your child. This may take a few visits and at first your child may feel uncomfortable about talking about how they are feeling, but will slowly begin to relax and open up.
If they don’t, you may have to try another phsyciatrist until you both feel comfortable. If you have a teenager, they may be more comfortable talking to the doctor without you in the room. Don’t take this personally and don’t probe them when they come out. Let your child talk to you when they are ready.
Be there to support your child with anxiety and whatever you do don’t blame yourself.
In my next post I will be talking about the different types of anxiety which can affect children. Until then you may like to do further research. I have found a very informative program which offers strategies to help your child cope with their anxiety.
To Find Strategies to Help Your Child With Anxiety Click Here
Until Next Time,
Have a Great Day.
Jackie Stenhouse
(Mum of 3 Wonderful Kids)
Tags: anxious child, child with anxiety
Having a child with anxiety can be heartbreaking. There are ways to help them though so if you can add any useful information here from personal experience, we would love to hear about it.
Hi Jackie,
I agree that finding the right professional is the most important step. Your child (or teenager) needs to be completely comfortable with the medical practitioner you select. If your child isn’t comfortable, they’ll just put up barriers, making it harder to diagnose a child with anxiety.
Hi Jackie
Great post, it must be very worrying to have a child who is suffering from anxiety. Many years ago my children were most anxious about monsters in the wardrobes after seeing Monsters Inc Movie. Funny enough, the Harry Potter film released around the same time did not concern them at all. I guess I have been very fortunate with my children and just by being understanding and supportive to them when they have had anxious moments those moments have passed quickly.
Thanks Bev, Your right, Being understanding with a child with anxiety is the first step to helping them get over it.
Hi Jackie,
When my Godson was a toddler, I started taking him to swimming lessons. He cried every single time we had to go and he was so afraid. He’d hold onto me so tightly and wouldn’t let go.
I felt like the worst carer ever as I kept persisting with the swimming lessons. Long story short, we finally got there after about three weeks of lessons. Now he loves the water but it was awful watching him be so afraid.
Once I realised he was anxious about trying new things; I started taking him to drama classes. I think it gives him a little more confidence but his natural instinct is to be very hesitant and anxious.
It’s just a lot of talking and a lot of love but we get there. I just wish there was some way to permanently give him the confidence he needs.
Hi Jazz,
It’s terrible watching the ones you love the most go through anxiety as you are unsure how to help. My son who suffers from anxiety absolutely loves drama and I think it has really helped him as he gets to roleplay.
Hi Jackie
Great article about children with anxiety. Unfortunately, this is more common than we realize.
Even as adults we are breaking boundaries and trying new things so imagine the pressures on the kids. Our eldest son has just started the middle school program, new high school style of teaching. This year he is now in upper school. Every second child is new to the school so there is a lot of anxiety to be seen there.
Encouragingly I also see a lot of concerned and loving parents to assist them with taking these new steps.
I am looking forward to your next article on the different types of anxiety as this will also assist me in watching for the signs.
Thank you for such an informative site Jackie.
I had a child with anxiety and that was in the 80s a time when no one knew what to do.
My Son would not talk to the psychiatrist and would just sit at the back of the room, he then refused to go at all I was told he would grow out of it.
He was 12 at the time today he is in his 30s and suffers with depression, maybe if the Doctors were more understanding of the problem at the time there would have been more advice as to how to handle it.
Thank God there is more understanding and help today.
Hi Rita,
I’m so sorry that there wasn’t better help available for your son. You are right, back in the 80′s the awareness of child anxiety and depression just wasn’t there. I hope he is able to gain support now.
Thanks
Jackie
Hi Cherie,
Thanks for your comment. Children today are under extreme pressure to succeed which then leads to a lot of anxiety, especially when starting a new school. Having loving and understanding parents to come home to definately helps them feel a little less anxious as they step into the next era of life.
Thanks
Jackie
Thanks for the post, Jackie. You wouldn’t wish this for any child, but it’s great to know there’s help out there and that parents and kids aren’t alone in dealing with these issues.
Hi Lina,
Yes it is a relief for parents and kids to know they can get some help if needed by trained professionals.