Understanding and Managing Child Anxiety
Anxiety among kids is becoming more and more widespread. It has serious consequences for their development and wellbeing. Thus, it’s essential to identify the signs of anxiety as well as comprehend its root causes. In this article we will focus on how child anxiety can influence children from early childhood up until adolescence. We will discuss the signs of anxiety in kids, what could be causing it and how to help them cope better.
Understanding Child Anxiety and Its Triggers
It’s completely normal for kids to have some fears during their childhood. However, when those anxieties become too intense, they can cause serious emotional problems and should be addressed right away. As parents, it is important to recognize the signs that your child may be struggling with anxiety, so you are able to provide support quickly and effectively. Creating a safe and secure atmosphere in the home will help foster an environment of trust where your kid won’t feel like they need to worry as much.
Child anxiety is an unfortunately common occurrence, especially among younger children. It’s caused by numerous elements – both genetic and environmental as well as psychological issues. To successfully manage these anxieties and help the child live their best life it’s paramount that we try to work out what triggers this fear in them. This begins with understanding exactly what child anxiety looks like so that we can then figure out its sources more accurately.
External Factors of Child Anxiety
Child anxiety is a type of excessive fear or worry about everyday events and situations that adversely influence a kid’s ability to carry out their normal lives. There are many external triggers to anxiety in children. Factors such as school exams or big modifications at home can produce an adequate amount of stress within a child. Specific fears (fear of animals for example) also have an impact on triggering child stress.
If a child is exposed to an unstable or chaotic home environment, it can be even more of a shock to them than if the atmosphere was predictable and steady. This feeling of safety is essential for helping kids cope with any apprehensions or worries they might experience in childhood. It’s also important that parents acknowledge when fear overwhelms their kid’s fragile mind so much that they cannot handle it alone anymore. Seeking professional help could be considered one possible solution. Ultimately every situation needs its own response depending on the nature & severity of distress.
Internal Factors of Child Anxiety
Aside from the external triggers we have discussed, internal factors like genetics also play a role in understanding the source of childhood anxieties. Studies illustrate that family history is influential when it comes to developing various forms of mental health issues including those present in children; meaning if someone within the family has gone through similar struggles then there’s a probability for these same troubles to affect other members as well. Particularly younger ones who may not possess relevant coping skills yet. Other internal factors to look at are character attributions (introversion versus extroversion) and temperament (high sensitivity).
Trauma Related Factors of Child Anxiety
Trauma can be another important factor concerning possible causes of child anxiousness. Recent traumas such as bullying by peers, or past experiences during early years which could consist of neglect or abuse from parents/caregivers/family members etc., all are associated with higher levels distress and nervousness afterwards when they reach adolescence and adulthood together with depression amongst other psychological problems.
Signs of Anxiety in Children
Common signs of anxiety in children that may stand out include difficulty sleeping, frequent nightmares and avoidance of certain situations. Other signs that might occur are having constant clinginess or excessive worrying about future events. Physical complaints like stomach aches and headaches can also happen. There could even be trouble focusing on tasks, aggressive behavior towards others, and withdrawal from friends/family members. It’s important for parents to pay attention if they observe these kinds of changes so the right kind of support is offered quickly. If you notice any changes in your child’s behavior, it might be worth considering setting an appointment with a therapist who specializes in treating childhood anxieties.
Coping Strategies for Child Anxieties
It is quite normal for kids to feel anxious or scared in certain difficult situations or big changes, but if the stress they experience becomes too much, then that’s where an issue starts arising. Thankfully there exist some tactics which can be used to help kids manage their fears better.
Calming Exercises for Child Anxiety
One of such methods is relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation. Both have been validated with good results! With the help of guided imagery, kids can learn to calm down their nerves and muscles to minimize their body’s physical response when it comes to stressful situations. This is a great way for them to get into peaceful environment in order escape anxiety. Just imagine being on your dream vacation spot or any other place that brings you inner peace!
Problem-Solving Skills for Child Anxiety
We should also provide children with problem-solving skills which will enable them to tackle problematic scenarios successfully. To make things more manageable and easier, teach your child how to break down the problem into smaller fragments-like an essay. In an essay, there is an introduction paragraph, body paragraph, and conclusion paragraph. You will focus on one part at a time. This helps avoid feeling “stuck” and overwhelmed amidst nerve-racking circumstances.
Social Skills for Child Anxiety
Good social skills also go a long way in helping children converse better, both with other kids and adults. This would lead to an increased sense of self-confidence! Teaching a child their different emotions, and naming said emotions, will also aid in communicating how they feel verbally. When an individual bottles up big emotions, the emotions will eventually overflow. The overflow will sometimes represent itself as anxiety. The probability of anxiety overflowing is essentially lower if the emotions are expressed.
When it comes assertive communication techniques, we should always strive to help our children express themselves. This is essential if trust needs to be established between people. It will make dealing with difficult situations less cumbersome later down the line. It will also decrease the likelihood of people-pleasing tendencies and increase knowledge of how to create boundaries.
Positive Thinking for Child Anxiety
Lastly, cultivating a ‘think positive’ mindset can really aid those adolescents who suffer from anxiety issues. Practicing positive affirmations daily has been proven to be effective in increasing self-esteem and decreasing anxiety. Research has shown that reframing any pessimistic thoughts into more uplifting ones yields great results. Something they carry over even when adulthood arrives!
In conclusion, childhood can be full of stresses that children are not always fully equipped to handle. Anxiety in young people is becoming an increasingly relevant problem which needs to be tackled proactively before it has the chance to escalate into something more serious. Parents and guardians should pay close attention and look for signs of anxiety in their child’s behavior so they have the opportunity intervene early on and help them manage these worries effectively. It’s essential we give our kids ample support as well as teach them how to deal with stress when faced with challenges healthily. This way, they’ll feel confident moving forward!
About the Author:
Toree Chamberlain, Counseling Intern, specializes in working with children and teens who struggle with a variety of life’s challenges. She works with a team of highly trained therapists who understand how to help those struggling with difficult emotions find the relief they are seeking. Be Inspired Counseling & Consulting’s mission is to inspire hope for change to help individuals move forward and live fully. Click here to schedule an appointment today.
Other Services Offered at Be Inspired:
Child Counseling isn’t the only service provided at our Alexandria, LA and Natchitoches, LA locations. We also offer online therapy, trauma therapy, grief counseling, and anxiety treatment. Feel free to visit our consulting services, FAQ, or blog pages for helpful info!
