PARENTING: How to spot early signs of anxiety in your children
It's all part of being a parent, you have to think of everything...
It can be stressful to learn that your little ones have things troubling them that are beyond their control.
Things such as anxiety or depression, things that we may not know the symptoms of...
It's certainly different when it comes to healing a boo boo, physically, but overall it can be described as healing all the same.
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Knowing how to handle this when and if it happens to your child is of utmost importance. Identifying the difference between having a bad day and ongoing anxiety can be tricky.
According to CNN, Rachel Busman, a White Plains, New York-based clinical psychologist and cognitive and behavioural consultant says:
"Anxiety disorders are marked by persistent and excessive worries. While someone with generalised anxiety might worry about various everyday things, someone with social anxiety typically has intense or persisting fears or worries about being judged negatively by other people."
Since the signs of anxiety can be difficult to spot, the sooner parents are aware of the signs, the better for everyone.
This way, parents and their children can seek out help from professionals. Understanding what anxiety is and how to deal with it, will help your children deal with their fears and help you guide them on this journey.
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"The earlier we have tools, the earlier we can set kids on a path that encourages them to be resilient and helps them face the things they're fearful of, says Baum." (CNN)
Some signs to watch out for include, but are not limited to:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping, bed-wetting or bad dreams
- Not eating properly
- Clinginess
- Lack of confidence to try new things or inability to deal with simple, everyday problems
- Avoidance of everyday activities, such as seeing friends or going out in public or to school
- Inability to talk in some social situations
- Reassurance seeking (repeated questions to reconfirm worries, such as exactly when and where you're going to pick them up from school, or if the weather's really going to be nice enough for a playdate)
- Physical symptoms such as using the toilet often; tearfulness; headaches; dizziness; lightheadedness; sweatiness; stomachaches; nausea; cramps; vomiting; fidgeting; or body aches (especially if they usually occur before an educational or social obligation) (CNN)
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Whether or not you observe these symptoms in your child, always remember that as a family it's always best to ensure that you communicate with your kids.
Sometimes as much as it may seem like they are not listening, it could be that they are going through something that feels too big to talk about.
But that doesn't mean they are not hearing you...
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