Everyone, including children, experiences occasional feelings of anxiety when they worry about what might happen in the future. In healthy situations, anxiety can fuel motivation, help us recognize danger and stay safe, and it can help us identify areas in our lives that need improvement. Sometimes, though, anxiety can be excessive and unhealthy to experience. This is true for children, just as it is for adults.
Parents and caregivers should be able to recognize the signs of anxiety in kids and know when childhood anxiety requires professional attention.
Common Signs of Anxiety in Kids at Different Ages
Although the mental state known as “worry” triggers anxiety, we feel anxiety in our bodies. Sometimes, it’s described as butterflies in the stomach, but it can have a lot of physical symptoms, including:
- Elevated heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Muscle tension
- Sweating
- Clammy hands
- Dry mouth
- Hot face
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Digestive issues
Anxiety also triggers emotional symptoms, such as:
- Nervousness
- Apprehension
- Fear
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Overwhelm
- Sense of impending doom
Anxiety can cause a variety of symptoms, including difficulty sleeping, nightmares, appetite changes, irritability, anger, depression, avoidance, difficulty concentrating, and physical pain.
In children, the signs of anxiety can differ during different developmental stages.
- Toddlers (ages one to three) – Bedtime resistance, difficulty sleeping, fear of the dark, and more frequent temper tantrums and crying
- Preschoolers (ages three to six) – More frequent clinging and psychosomatic symptoms like stomach aches, headaches, and feeling unwell
- Children (ages seven to 11) – Social anxiety, shyness, avoidance (avoiding school, sleepovers, or other situations), psychosomatic symptoms (headaches, stomachaches, and feeling unwell)
- Adolescents (ages 12 to 18) – Withdrawal (from family, friends, and activities), irritability, anger, insomnia, shakiness, and tension
The Root Causes and Triggers of Childhood Anxiety
The body’s normal, evolutionary response to danger (like being chased by a grizzly bear) is called “fight or flight,” and this response triggers the release of stress hormones (like cortisol) to prepare the body to run or fight back.
There are countless reasons why the body might experience anxiety as a result of “fight of flight” mode, such as:
- Being separated from parents and caregivers
- Fear of the dark, monsters, insects, storms, water, or other things
- Worry about academic performance, schoolwork, or exams
- Worry about fitting in, social acceptance, and making friends
- Abstract “what if” fears about the future
While the “fight or flight” response is meant to keep us safe, it can be unhealthy when an anxiety disorder is present, such as:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Selective mutism
- Panic disorder
- Phobias
Anxiety disorders occur as a result of different underlying issues (such as genetics, individual brain chemistry, life events, and learned behavior).
Coping Tools for Anxious Kids
Understanding the root cause of a child’s anxiety can help inform strategies for addressing anxiety disorders or alleviating elevated anxiety. Parents can also work with their children to help them develop healthy and effective coping mechanisms for relaxing, self-soothing, and overcoming unhealthy levels of anxiety.
Some common coping mechanisms that are effective tools for children include:
Relaxation
- Deep breathing, box breathing, and physiological sighs help relax the nervous system.
- Progressive muscle relaxation (intentionally tensing and releasing different muscle groups) helps promote calm.
- Focusing on a calming picture, mental image, or story helps the nervous system feel safe.
Physical Activity
- Moving through anxiety helps the body process cortisol in a healthy way, alleviating feelings of stress.
- Ride a bike, go for a walk, play sports, do jumping jacks, or dance
Creative Expression
- Creative outlets like painting, drawing, or coloring help to relax the mind.
- Writing in a journal helps children verbalize their worries and come up with creative solutions through imaginative storytelling.
Mindfulness and Grounding
- Practicing mindfulness meditation helps children learn to respond, rather than react, to situations.
- Work with them to name their feelings and describe what they feel like inside their body.
- Work on mindfulness meditation and techniques during non-stressful moments, so children are prepared when they feel anxious.
Parental Support
- The security of parental support is invaluable in alleviating anxiety.
- Parents should practice active, attentive listening.
- Validate their child’s feelings (without having to agree with their feelings).
- Don’t entirely avoid triggers, as this will reaffirm a child’s fears. Instead, help them gain confidence and learn strategies for facing their fears.
- Encourage open dialogue.
Professional Support
In some cases, especially when an anxiety disorder is present, children will benefit from professional support in the form of counseling and therapy.
When to Seek Professional Help for Childhood Anxiety
Parents should seek professional help for their children when they suspect their child has an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are characterized by anxiety that gets worse or doesn’t go away. Disordered anxiety can impact a child’s health by disrupting behavior, appetite, sleep, and mood. An anxiety disorder may be present when anxiety gets in the way of normal activities and prevents a child from doing the things they enjoy.
If you see signs of anxiety in your child and are concerned about the impact it might be having on their health, development, and happiness, we strongly encourage you to seek professional support. At Children’s Wellness Center, our pediatricians can connect you with valuable resources for addressing childhood anxiety, helping your children develop healthy coping mechanisms so they can return to their happy, healthy selves.
If you have any questions about anxiety in kids, we welcome you to contact us today.
