Do You Know the Symptoms of Childhood Anxiety?
If anxiety is hard for adults to deal with, it is plain horrible when it affects a child. Children who are dealing with anxiety become very withdrawn and have a hard time making new connections with people. They tend to feel very isolated and alone.
The good news is once symptoms of childhood anxiety are treated, the child can go back to living a productive life.
The good news is once symptoms of childhood anxiety are treated, the child can go back to living a productive life.
FACT - it is still unclear if children have anxiety because other people in their lives have anxiety, or if it is genetic
Emotional Symptoms of Childhood Anxiety
Some of the most common symptoms of childhood anxiety include:
- intense fear of strangers
- intense fear of being away from the primary caregiver (usually mom or dad)
- not wanting to go to school or play with friends
- worrying about 'adult' things like death and money
- isolating themselves from the rest of the family or attaching strongly to a family member
- showing signs of depression
- possibly showing extreme emotion when forced to leave their bedroom, their home, or another 'safe space'
- intense fear of strangers
- intense fear of being away from the primary caregiver (usually mom or dad)
- not wanting to go to school or play with friends
- worrying about 'adult' things like death and money
- isolating themselves from the rest of the family or attaching strongly to a family member
- showing signs of depression
- possibly showing extreme emotion when forced to leave their bedroom, their home, or another 'safe space'
FACT - children can also start to experience anxiety due to trauma. This includes hidden abuse, a death and divorce
Physical Symptoms of Childhood Anxiety
As you can imagine, the emotional aspects of childhood anxiety are devastating for a child. It is no wonder that these emotional things can cause very real, very physical symptoms of anxiety as well.
Some of the most common physical symptoms of extreme anxiety include:
- constantly complaining of feeling tired or sick
- headaches
- nausea or possibly even vomiting
- muscle aches
- extreme exhaustion
- feeling 'disoriented' or not being able to concentrate on their environment
- unable to sleep or constantly tired
Some of the most common physical symptoms of extreme anxiety include:
- constantly complaining of feeling tired or sick
- headaches
- nausea or possibly even vomiting
- muscle aches
- extreme exhaustion
- feeling 'disoriented' or not being able to concentrate on their environment
- unable to sleep or constantly tired
FACT - It is best to get your chlld checked out by their physician in order to rule out any physical sickness. Undetected physical sickness can trigger depression and anxiety.
Anxiety Attacks - one of the overlooked symptoms of childhood anxiety
If your child is suffering from anxiety, there is a very real possibility that he or she has experienced an anxiety attack. They could even be frequently experiencing these attacks without you knowing.
The reason is that children are not always able to verbalize what they are feeling or what they are going through.
If your child is a teen or pre-teen, please refer to the list of anxiety attack symptoms.
If your child is 10 or younger, these signs may indicate that they are having an anxiety attack:
- crying (for no obvious reason)
- wringing their hands
- complaining of one or more of the physical symptoms above (children know how to tell their parents of physical pain long before they have the comprehension of telling them of emotional pain)
- gulping for air (for no physical reason)
- sweating for no obvious reason
The reason is that children are not always able to verbalize what they are feeling or what they are going through.
If your child is a teen or pre-teen, please refer to the list of anxiety attack symptoms.
If your child is 10 or younger, these signs may indicate that they are having an anxiety attack:
- crying (for no obvious reason)
- wringing their hands
- complaining of one or more of the physical symptoms above (children know how to tell their parents of physical pain long before they have the comprehension of telling them of emotional pain)
- gulping for air (for no physical reason)
- sweating for no obvious reason
Learn how to cure symptoms of childhood anxiety
