How To Reduce Anxiety In Children

Anxiety is a normal reaction to something that you think is a danger or threat. When a person experiences violent fear, we think of an anxiety disorder. In today’s article we will look at how we can help reduce anxiety in children.

Read on to learn more about childhood anxiety, what the symptoms are,  and the best tips to help children deal with anxiety to prevent the onset of psychological disorders.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a basic emotion. In fact, we have all experienced anxiety at one time or another. Do you remember when you had to take your last exam in school? Or the day you had a conversation about a job you really wanted? You definitely know what it means to feel anxious.

Children begin to express fear, which can create anxiety, around the age of two or three. Does a monster live under the bed? What would happen if my parents died? What if a thief entered the house?

Even riding a bike and being afraid of falling can create anxiety. However, there is a clear problem when the feeling is so strong and so persistent that it becomes a disorder.

Symptoms of anxiety in children

For children who cannot cope with their fears,  anxiety can quickly become an unwanted companion. Let’s look at the possible symptoms of anxiety in children:

• Frequent headache or abdominal pain without a medical cause.
• Tense muscles, tremors or excessive sweating.

• Sleep disorders:  Either problems falling asleep (it is also called insomnia) or problems getting up.
• Extreme hypersensitivity or crying.
• Anger for no apparent reason.
• Annoying mood.
• Excessive fear of making mistakes.
• Panic attack.
• Phobia and excessive fear:  For example, your child may be afraid of an animal or a natural phenomenon such as a hurricane.
• Fear of not being loved.
• Restlessness and constant nervousness.
• Your child does not want to go to school. They may also not want to eat there or use the toilet at school.
• Constantly seeking approval from their parents.
• Constantly asking questions such as “What would happen if…?”
• Feel that they can not do things that they have never tried before.

As you can see,  these symptoms overlap with other problems. For example, it may be a result of bullying. If you think your child is suffering from anxiety, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor and they will be able to make a diagnosis.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety can become a disorder. Some of the most common disorders are:

• Phobias:  The child feels an extreme or irrational fear of something, an animal or a situation. For example, the child may be afraid of insects or going to the doctor.
• Separation anxiety:  The child is afraid to leave the parents.
• Social anxiety:  The child becomes anxious when they go to places with many people such as at a school or a shopping mall.
• Panic disorder:  The child sweats, feels dizzy and shakes. In addition, they have trouble breathing and their heart races out of it when they feel scared.
• General anxiety:  The child worries about everything around him.

Tips to reduce anxiety in children

1. Help your child deal with their fears

Your first reaction as a parent is probably to avoid activities that give your child anxiety. You should not do that! Your child needs to learn to deal with their fears. Otherwise, they will avoid the problem and prolong their anxiety over a longer period of time.

2. Be a good example

Children look to their parents to assess how to act in different situations. Show them that you know how to control your emotions,  even when you are feeling anxious. Be the mirror your kids want to see!

Talk to your child to reduce anxiety in children

If you know your child will have to face a situation that makes them anxious, talk to them in advance. There is a difference between not knowing what to do and not knowing the purpose. Knowing in advance what is going to happen can help reduce anxiety in children.

4. Show your feelings

To reduce anxiety, it is important to show empathy. That is, listening to your child without judging them. To make your child trust you,  you can open up and talk about your experiences. By sharing your feelings with them, you will most likely get your child to share more with you.

5. Celebrate the small victories with your child

Follow your child on the road to overcoming anxiety. Celebrate every little step they take along the way.

Show them support and love

Your support and love should be unconditional. Make sure your child understands! There is nothing more important to your child than knowing that you are always by their side no matter what happens.

7. Carefully straighten them

Do not hesitate to correct your child’s actions without putting labels on their personality. Remember that it is important to be able to talk about their efforts and even give constructive criticism. However, do not mark anxiety as a personality trait.

8. Seek professional help in case of persistent anxiety in children

If your child’s anxiety becomes so bad that they can not lead a normal life, do not hesitate to go to a doctor. A psychologist will be able to help them deal with their fears  and find the resources that they have within them.

Anxiety in children is more common than you might think. Like us adults, children also feel threatened by their surroundings sometimes. Uncertainty creates fear, and we have certainly all been through it. The important thing is to learn to deal with fear and not let it control you.