Anxiety in Children. Let's Talk About It.

It’s not at all uncommon for children to feel anxious at different times. In fact anxiety and nervousness can be such a useful communication tool to highlight children’s limits and boundaries that they aren’t yet able or comfortable to verbally express. It can however, become a problem when it impacts daily functioning and prevents a child from attending school or doing activities they have previously enjoyed.

WHAT IS ANXIETY?

In Australia, 1 in 14 children and young people (aged between 4-17 years of age) experience an anxiety disorder. It is the most common mental health condition experienced by girls in this age group and second most common experienced by boys. Anxiety is much more than feeling stressed or worried, it can be very serious and make day to day life challenging. Feelings of anxiousness or nervousness can be connected to a stressful or high pressure situation or event, such as a starting something new or different, or preparing for a test or exam. It is also common for children to feel anxious about different things in line with different stages of development (as shown in the image below). These feelings however, should cease once the situation or event has passed.

With an anxiety disorder, the anxiety is more frequent and persistent. It does not always occur in relation to a specific event or situation, seemingly existing without any reason or cause at all. Without support it can impact upon daily functioning.

SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

There are several different types of anxiety disorders, each with their own unique list of symptoms, which is beyond the scope of this post, however there are a number of common symptoms or indicators as listed in the drop down list below.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:

• Headaches

• Sweating

• Numbness

• Choking or extremely dry mouth

• Difficulty sleeping

• Dizziness

• Panic attacks

• Hot and cold flushes

• Racing heart

• Tightening of the chest

• Restlessness

• Stomach aches (particularly common in children when they are away from home).

• Change in appetite

Cognitive Symptoms of Anxiety:

• Excessive fear

• Worrying

• Nightmares

• Being preoccupied or unable to concentrate

• Indecisiveness

• Obtrusive thoughts

• Mind racing or going blank

Behavioural Symptoms of Anxiety

• Avoiding places (often seen in children as school refusal).

• Withdrawal

• Easily startled

• Excessive need for reassurance

• Argumentative

• Overplanning and overthinking situations

• Difficulty with change (such as a change to routine or cancellation of an event)

• Big emotions or tantrums

• Crying

• Clinginess

Emotional Symptoms of Anxiety

• Overwhelm

• Fear

• Worry

• Dread

• Nervousness

• Irritability

WHAT CAUSES ANXIETY?

There’s a number of factors that can increase the likelihood that your child will experience anxiety such as:

• Family history of mental health conditions.

• Stressful life events such as parental separation, bullying, experiencing abuse, big changes such as moving schools or moving interstate or death of a loved one.

• Unresolved trauma.

• Physical health problems – ongoing significant illness can be a cause for anxiety in children.

• Individual coping style.

• Substance use.

WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD

• Acknowledge their anxiety, don’t dismiss or ignore them no matter how small or insignificant the fear seems to be.

• Name the fear not only so your child feels understood but also to ensure you are understanding them correctly.

• Support them with consistent and predictable routines – sometimes easier said then done, life happens! But where possible provide consistency around what things happen on particular days or have a consistent bedtime or morning routine.

• Make a visual chart of the next few days or week ahead and talk it through - some children manage having ALL the information better than being given bits at a time.

• Talk to them about what anxiety is! Adapt it to the age of your child but discuss their symptoms and a put a name to what they are experiencing so that you can both better recognise and seek or provide support when it arises.

• Have some tools available for things you can do together when they become anxious such as, drawing, writing, watching a movie or show, dancing, meditation or mindfulness.

WHEN TO SEEK HELP

If your child seems excessively worried or anxious and presents this way more often than not it may be time to seek further help. Severe and long lasting symptoms could be indicative of an anxiety disorder.

If it is feeling like something you and your child need help with, reach out to a mental health professional or book in for a free 15 minute consultation via our online booking platform to see if Thrive is the right fight for your child. We offer Play Therapy in our therapy rooms in Hewett as our primary therapy offering to support children and families.

You can also reach out by email at hello@thrivetherapeuticplay.com.au

REFERENCES

Beyond Blue (2021). Beyond Blue. [online] www.beyondblue.org.au. Available at: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/young-people.

Harkin, C. (2019). Anxiety and Play Therapy. [online] Play Therapy Melbourne. Available at: https://www.playtherapymelbourne.com/anxiety-and-play-therapy/#:~:text=Play%20therapy%20can%20help%20children%20get%20to%20the%20source%20of [Accessed 18 Aug. 2023].

Health Direct (2020). Anxiety in children. [online] www.healthdirect.gov.au. Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/anxiety-in-children.

‌

Queensland Children’s Hospital. (2017). Anxiety. [online] Children’s Health Queensland. Available at: https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/fact-sheet-anxiety/#:~:text=In%20Australia%2C%20one%20in%2014.

Raising Children Network. (n.d.). Anxiety and fears in children. [online] Available at: https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-in-children.

Royal Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Kids Health Information : Anxiety - primary school aged children. [online] Available at: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/anxiety-primary-aged/.

‌