Anxiety in children
is an unfortunate but common phenomenon. While it is natural to
experience some amount of anxiety from time to time, prolonged anxiety
can be dangerous to the well being of children. There are certain
symptoms and behavioral traits that are induced by anxiety in children.
They have to be identified by the parents and family members before the
anxiety becomes an ailment. There are different types of anxiety
disorders but fortunately the symptoms and behavioral indicators in
children and fairly similar for all types of anxiety. The actual
diagnosis of the correct type of disorder will have to be done by
professionals but they will need all the help that the parents can
provide through their observation of symptoms and behavior of the
children.
Physical and biological symptoms are easier to identify in
children. Children with anxiety lose their appetite and often complain
about stomach aches and stomach cramps. These are classic symptoms of
anxiety but they can be overlooked in children because these symptoms
can also denote other ailments. So, these symptoms are often
misdiagnosed and the actual anxiety disorder stays undetected. These
symptoms are accompanied by frequent headaches and body aches. Anxiety
also induces digestion problems, along with nervous trembling and
nausea. When all of these symptoms are present simultaneously in
children, they are most likely affected with some type of anxiety
disorder.
The behavioral symptoms can be a little more difficult to
understand. Children tend to lose their concentration and they make many
mistakes in their activities. They also lose interest in studies and
score poor grades in school, even if they were good at it previously.
This can also be present in normal children who are undergoing the
process of mental and physical growth. In addition to this, children
with anxiety can also display irrational nervousness and fear. They also
display behaviors like nail biting, scratching, drumming of fingers,
hair pulling, consuming hair, etc. These are symptoms that clearly
indicate anxiety in children. They are hard to be overlooked but parents
must be observant to identify other symptoms also. Other symptoms can
include unnecessary worries, obsession about trivial issues and
sometimes, even aggressive behavior. When all the behavioral symptoms
appear along with some of the biological and physical symptoms, the
children may be suffering from prolonged anxiety that will need expert
consultation. Children will not be able to cope with anxiety and panic
on their own; they will need parental guidance and supervision to
overcome these ailments.
Anxiety in children
