Anxiety and our children

Anxiety.

It is a word we have come to know more and more lately as we experience this global pandemic. Everything that we once knew has changed and although we have had some time to process it, the reality of our “new world” is sinking in more and more, causing anxiety. Some of us are more prone to it than others and the same thing applies to our children.

What is anxiety?

It is a feeling of being unsettled. It is characterized by worry and difficulty tolerating uncertainties. It is also identified by overreaction to perceived threats, or avoidance.

Anxiety can begin to encroach on many unsuspecting areas of our lives. It can be mild or severe, causing different symptoms in each of us. It can easily go undetected or misdiagnosed as something else.

According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is characterized by feelings of tension and worry. It is often associated with physical associations like a racing heart, high blood pressure or sweaty palms.

It is a “gateway” marker in many ways, which means that it can lead to other mental health disorders if left untreated.

What does anxiety look like in children?

Research suggests that only one in 5 cases in children gets appropriately identified, and that the number of cases is rising every year. So it is a good place to start for us as adults to try figure out what to look for as a sign of anxiety in a child. It can be very difficult to differentiate anxiety from other childhood experiences/behaviours. Anxiety can show itself in almost an unlimited number of ways, as it interplays with a child’s environment and personality. Some one the common ways it manifests that we can be aware of are:

Separation anxiety

A level of separation anxiety is normal but when parents find that it is not settling and is impacting a child’s ability to go to school, it is worth exploring more.

School refusal

This is common at the start of terms, or for instance when children need to re-enter school after lockdown. When it becomes a chronic concern and something that results in emotional disturbance for the family, it is worth checking out. It is characterized by refusal to go to school and may start with simple avoidance based behaviours (like not wanting to do sport). 

Inattention and restlessness

Anxiety is often mistaken for ADHD and they share many symptoms.  When children are struggling to focus, squirm, are easily distracted and avoid tasks that require mental stamina, they might be anxious. This is especially the case if these behaviours suddenly started. 

Disruptive behaviours

If a child starts acting out, repeating questions unnecessarily or battling to behave as expected, the root of that behaviour might be anxiety. This is especially the case if these behaviours suddenly started. 

Physical complaints

Anxiety can manifest as a physical symptom in the body. This might be a sore tummy, headaches or regular trips to sick bay. All children get these symptoms but it is when it is chronic that it becomes more of a concern.

There are other factors too but these will be the most common ones to look out for. Stay tuned for the next installment that covers ways we can help.

Sources:

www.childmind.org

https://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/12/combat-anxiety

https://childmind.org/our-impact/childrens-mental-health-report/2018report/