Identifying & Managing Anxiety in Children

Anxiety in children is common and normal. Right from infancy, children become anxious when separated from Mum and when exposed to new noises, sounds and environments. As parents, one of our roles is to help identify when our kids are feeling anxious and teach them how they can manage these feelings. We also need to know when we need to seek professional support for our kids.

Key Symptoms of Anxiety in Children

Anxiety in children has similar symptoms to those adults’ face, including:

Difficulty concentrating
Racing heart rate
Poor sleeping and frequent waking
Bad dreams
Loss of appetite
Easily angered or irritated
Constant worry
Crying easily
Fidgety and tense
Sore tummy and feeling unwell
Unwilling to try new tasks
Very clingy
Bed wetting
Avoiding everyday activities

It can be difficult to pin down the exact cause of anxiety in children, especially when a child is unable to explain how they feel. By providing reassurance and teaching strategies to manage it, we are ideally placed to make a positive difference in helping them manage their anxiety.

4 Ways of Managing Anxiety in Children

Eliminating anxiety is unrealistic, because it remains a part of life. Avoiding things because they cause anxiety is also something that we as parents shouldn’t be encouraging. Instead, four ways to help an anxious child include:

Talk with them – if your child is old enough, sit down and chat with them about what they are worried about. Reassure them what they are feeling is normal and that you understand what they are going through. You could also spend time explaining what anxiety is and how it makes our bodies feel.
Use different resources – playing games, role playing and reading books are three different ways of explaining about anxiety to our kids. We are so lucky here in NZ to have the Aroha’s Way range of books, written specifically for Kiwi kids! They are ideal for teaching ways of identifying and reducing anxiety and we have them available here at Squoodles!
Role modelling – kids learn by watching us, making it ideal to model what you would do when you felt anxious. Be sure to speak out loud about what you are feeling and what you can do to help yourself. Then demonstrate your chosen relaxation method, be it deep breathing, finding a calm place, doing a distraction activity, playing with fidget toys and positive self-talk.
Work through problems – its not always going to be possible to solve problems which are causing anxiety, but we can discuss possible solutions. Being able to problem solve can help manage anxiety symptoms, as well as showing your child that they do have the power to take charge and be the boss of their anxiety.

If you feel that your child’s anxiety levels are interfering in their daily life, seek professional help. Your first port of call should be your GP or health professional. Other helpful resources include Anxiety NZ, the Mental Health Foundation and What’s Up websites.

Sending lots of hugs your way.