Anxiety in Children

All children and adolescents experience some feelings of fear or nervousness at some points in their lives---for example, before big tests, performances, etc. It is when the nervous, anxious, or scared feelings become extreme and disabling that the child will begin to experience distress. In fact, anxiety disorders are the most common problems experienced by today's youth. Children can develop a wide range of anxiety symptoms. These symptoms include physical sensations such as sweaty palms, trembling, stomachaches, nausea, vomiting, and rapid heart-beat, and emotions like excessive worry, nervousness, and fear. When scared/anxious, children often cry, appear frozen, throw tantrums, or shrink away from the person/object/situation. Children and adolescents with severe anxiety may also experience social/peer difficulties, as well as other emotional problems like depression. Anxious youth might also exhibit poor academic performance as their symptoms can inhibit their decision making ability and concentration. Oftentimes, children react to these feelings by trying to avoid the situation all together.

Anxiety disorders that can develop during childhood include Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobias, Social Phobia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Selective Mutism and School Refusal are also childhood disorders that are commonly associated with anxious symptoms.

If these descriptions of fearful or anxious behaviors seem to fit what your child has been experiencing, and you want help with these difficulties, please contact the Center for Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Youth (CADDY) at 713-743-8609 to schedule an appointment.