Signs Your Child is Anxious

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A Guest Post by Marie Miguel

Contrary to some beliefs, adults aren’t the only ones who experience anxiety. Your child could be anxious, and often, he or she probably won’t tell you about it, according to Mendability. Your son or daughter may not even know what anxiety is, much less how to properly handle it.

Welcome to the 11th Post in my Children’s Healthcare Series

This post is the eleventh post in my Children’s Healthcare Series. This post is meant for informational purposes only, not advice. Please view my disclaimer (link in top menu). Please consult your medical professional or child development specialist for all concerns. In an emergency, call 911.

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Anxiety in Children

Your son comes home every day, bypassing you and your spouse and other siblings. He goes to his room and closes the door, isolating himself from family dinners and activities. Your daughter wakes up crying in the middle of night. She had a nightmare after watching a scary movie with her older brother. The only problem is, she has nightmares every night — despite not watching scary movies on a regular basis. She said she dreams she doesn’t have friends and keeps getting bad grades on her spelling tests.

Anxiety is a normal phase during childhood, but 80 percent of children with regular anxiety and 60 percent of children with depression aren’t getting the treatment they need to feel better. Every child will experience a moment of anxiety during his or her childhood, but if your child is experiencing the below symptoms, he or she may have a diagnosable form of anxiety, depression or another mental health disorder.

Here are some symptoms of anxiety in children, much like they are with adults:

Constant fear, either expressed in words, facial expressions or actions;
Sadness;
Feeling a lack of power and control;
Lonely feelings;
And physical issues, such as digestive problems or headaches.

Ask yourself the following questions to see if your child is experiencing anxiety symptoms:

Is your child anxious about an upcoming test or assignment?
Is he or she sad because of something a friend said to him or her?
Is there evidence of withdrawal symptoms, such as your child going to his or her room every day after school without talking with family?
Does your child stress out when he or she earns a bad grade?
Have you had to take your child to the doctor more often?
Is your child afraid something bad will happen to a loved one, such as a car accident?
Are they acting out and having tantrums and expressing irritable mood swings more often?
Is your son or daughter clinging to you and doesn’t want you to leave home?
Is your teenage son or daughter ditching school?

If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, then you may consider talking with a mental health professional about your child’s anxiety. You will be able to sort through your child’s behavior and come up with a treatment plan. The American Anxiety and Depression Association of America also has an official list of “yes” and “no” questions for parents here.

One thing to remember is to not feel guilty about not understanding your child’s behavior. Talk with your child when issues arise instead of pushing them to the side. This could make all of the difference in the world.

Guest Writer BIO:

Guest Post Bio: Marie Miguel is an avid internet researcher. She is fueled by her determination to answer the many questions she hasn’t been able to find the answer to anywhere else. When she finds these answers she likes to spread the knowledge to others seeking help. She is always looking for outlets to share her information, therefore she occasionally has her content published on different websites and blogs. Even though she doesn’t run one for herself she loves contributing to others.

Thank you Marie for contributing to my Children’s Healthcare Series.