Signs Your Child’s Anxiety Might Need Extra Support
It’s normal for children to feel the rumbles of anxiety from time to time. Anxiety is a natural emotion that may come up when changes are brewing or new opportunities appear. However, when you find your child having a hard time coping or find anxiety interfering with their everyday life, it may be time to seek out some extra support.
Here are three signs to look out for:
1. Avoiding Things They Once Enjoyed
Anxiety has a way of telling us we are not capable because it wants so badly for us to stay safe and in our comfort zone. Kids may shy away from new or uncomfortable situations. In the moment, avoidance brings (temporary) relief; however, in the long run, it teaches your child that they cannot handle certain situations, causing anxiety to get more intense. If you’re noticing your child avoiding activities they once loved or saying “no” to attending play-dates with friends, it might be time to tune into the possibility that anxiety is present.
2. Anxiety Interfering With Daily Life
Some worry is normal and typically part of the growing pains of life; however, when your child is starting to have a hard time with life tasks, such as homework or daily routines, it’s possible that anxiety could be the culprit. Anxiety can interfere with sleep, make school mornings a battle or create food struggles, among other things. The endless battles can have you and your child feeling exhausted and irritable. Sometimes kids will say things like “I can’t” or “I don’t know,” when in reality, anxiety is making even the smallest tasks feel too big or overwhelming in the moment.
3. Physical Symptoms With No Clear Cause
Any good therapist will recommend you rule out any medical issues with a pediatrician before we consider if anxiety could be the culprit behind your child’s physical complaints; however, the truth is, anxiety is often the reason for the mysterious physical symptoms. Oftentimes, children with anxiety will complain about things like frequent stomachaches, unexplained headaches, fluttering in their chest or other sensations without a clear explanation. For kids, it can be hard to connect a body sensation to an emotion like anxiety. However, their body is giving them a crucial piece of information that signals that anxiety is present.
A Note for Parents
Anxiety can be tough to spot because it can blend with everyday life stressors. Sometimes it shows up wearing the mask of avoidance or unexplained physical symptoms. If any of these signs feel familiar, it doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with your child. It is just a sign to you that your child could use a little extra support right now.
Therapy is a great starting point to help your child learn the individualized tools that can help them express, understand, and cope with their anxiety in their daily lives. To learn more about how I approach anxiety in therapy with my young clients, set-up a phone call via my contact form here.
