Anxiety is very common in young children. The causes of anxiety in children are different from adults. Children may feel that they are inadequate, incompetent, or simply a burden.
Symptoms of anxiety in children are similar to the symptoms of anxiety in adults. Symptoms include fear, tiredness, crying, sleeplessness, and irritability.
Anxiety can manifest itself in many ways. It can cause difficulty in making everyday tasks simple. Children with anxiety find it difficult to focus, concentrate, and follow directions. In extreme cases, they may start to behave erratically.
One of the most common symptoms of anxiety in children is being fidgety. They are easily moved from place to place by their movements. You may observe your child trying to do their homework or eat while in the living room while doing nothing at all.
Because children are less mature than adults, their anxiety is often not as high as an adult’s stress level. Children’s mind is still growing, so they may be more prone to anxiety. Children sometimes have difficulty expressing their emotions verbally. They may be afraid to do so because they think that they are unable to express themselves properly.
Young children may respond well to medication such as anti-anxiety medications. It is important to recognize the side effects of such medications.
There are ways to lessen the symptoms of anxiety in children. These include using soothing sounds like whispering and playing relaxing music.
Make sure that your child does physical activities that he or she enjoys. Exercising and playing sports may make it easier for the child to deal with situations. They will be less likely to get sick or experience physical ailments.
Exercise can also make anxiety worse. When the body is tired, the mind is too.
When your child has anxiety, don’t try to force him or her to get rid of it. You don’t want to hurt your child or interfere with normal development. If your child feels the need to avoid certain things or talk about the things that he or she is afraid of, talk to the child about his or her fears.
A child with anxiety may not be able to control what he or she does. That is why you must be patient and understanding. He or she may have to go through difficult experiences in order to learn how to cope with them.
