Signs your child may have an anxiety disorder
As a parent of a child experiencing fear, it can be difficult to know whether the fear is normal and will eventually pass, or whether your child may be developing an anxiety disorder. According to the experts, there are three key factors to consider when asking whether your child may have an anxiety disorder.
Check out this gallery to find out what they are.
Childhood fears
Whether it’s monsters under the bed or burglars breaking into the house, most, if not all, individuals experience certain fears as a child.
More serious
Sometimes, however, childhood fears can develop into a phobia or anxiety disorder, a process that can be difficult to detect.
When a fear becomes a phobia
Fears can be classified as phobias or anxiety disorders once they become debilitating or impair daily function.
Changing fears
The types of fears that children experience tend to change as infants, children, and adolescents grow and adapt to new environments.
Preschool children
By the time they reach preschool age, fears tend to be more imaginative. They might include ghosts or monsters, for example.
Key factors to consider
If you are struggling to understand whether your child is experiencing a normal fear, or whether they may be developing an anxiety disorder, there are three main factors to consider.
Frequency
However, if your child is bringing up their fear on a daily basis and it is becoming a struggle, this may be an indication that an anxiety disorder is emerging.
Intensity
Try giving your child’s reaction a score between 1 and 10 to help understand the severity of these instances.
Duration
Experts recommend giving your child some time to see if the fear settles by itself or whether it persists and becomes a long-term issue.
In practice
Practically, however, it may not make sense to wait six months before seeking advice, particularly if your child’s fears are making daily life very difficult.
Thinking in the long term
However, experts warn against this approach, since although it may provide temporary relief, in the long run it only serves to compound the child’s fear.
Dealing with real-world fears
If a child expresses fear about a real-world threat, such as a school shooting or a natural disaster, it can be difficult to know how to react.
Being practical
In some cases, it can help to explain the likelihood of a possible event occurring is low. Some parents also find that making a contingency plan provides reassurance.
Therapy options
When it comes to treating anxiety disorders in children, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and in particular exposure therapy, has proven very effective.
How it works
For example, if your child is scared of dogs, the therapist may begin by showing them a picture of a dog.
