Anxiety Disorders In Children Are Atypical Yet Generally Misunderstood

Most kids will experience a typical fear or anxiety during their life time.  Tests and other school related stress can often be a cause of such anxiety.  Typical this does not develop into manifesting a phobia or anxiety disorder.  However panic disorders can develop I children for other reasons.

As much as we would like to protect the innocence of children and prevent anything from interfering with their lives, it is not always possible.  Children can be afflicted with certain types of anxiety disorders that are also seen in adults.  Symptoms of such problems are various.  A child might seem to fret a lot.  They tend to be very hard on themselves and strive for perfection.  The child might do the same task over and over again trying to get it perfect.  They might also seek constant approval and reassurance from others.

OCD, or Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, can also be found in children.  Unwanted compulsions and thoughts are the trademark of someone with OCD.  OCD can also be seen in the repetition of rituals and routines that someone does to try and ease they anxiety.  Children as young as 2 and 3 have been diagnosed though the typical age for children to suffer CD is 10.  There are any number of signs for OCD like repeating the same task over and over again in an agitated manner, continually counting the same items and terror over possible mistakes they make.

Panic disorders are something different.  Children can be diagnosed with panic attacks after suffering from at least two panic attacks.  This is more common during adolescence.

Irrational fear of certain places, objects or situations can be a sign of children suffering anxiety disorders.  A phobia is more than the causal fear children suffer over animals, the dark and weather.  If a fear last for more than 6 months and inhibits their daily lives then it can be a phobia.  Symptoms can include suffering from a stomach ache or headache, a tantrum, becoming clingy, or freezing in place when confronted with the fear.

Children can develop these types of problems when exposed to certain stressors like losing apparent and other traumatic events.  Such experiences can manifest themselves in a loss of appetite as well as sleep and the worry of the event happening again.

The way these types of disorders manifest themselves can be different in adults and children.  Children can’t understand or express their fears the same way an adult can.  If you suspect that a child is suffering from anxiety or any of these issues they should be referred to their pediatrician.