According to cdc.gov, about 9.4% of children aged 3 to 17 years were diagnosed between 2016 to 2019, which is about 5.8 million children in the United States.
But what at all is anxiety?
In a simple explanation, anxiety is the body's natural response to stress and the fear of the unknown and what is to come.
This can be attributed to many things happening in a society like high crime rates, high divorce rates, or low levels of trust.
This can be different for children of different ages where little children can have anxiety issues caused by things like being separated from their parents, animals, strangers, and others.
School events can also cause worry for children where fitting in and being accepted can concern them.
If a child is exposed to these things, there is cause to worry.
This is why parents need to know how to help their children when they see the signs of anxiety.
Luckily, this article aims to help parents with the right approach to dealing with this situation.
But before doing that, we need to look at what signs you must look out for to know if your child needs help with his anxiety problem.
Signs of anxiety in children
1. Difficulty in concentrating;
If your child is constantly distracted when trying to concentrate, and you notice that he isn't like how he used to be, it is a clear sign that your child might be having a problem that he might not be sharing with you.
2. Unable to eat;
Another sign of anxiety you can look out for in children is their eating patterns, which is due to hormonal changes in the body.
If the child's mind is not at rest, eating could be one of the least of his concern.
3. Difficulties in socializing;
Socializing and meeting new people is something almost all children love and enjoy. However, if your child finds it difficult to hang out with his friends or meet new people, there could be some anxiety problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
4. Difficulties in sleeping;
At home, frequent worry or anxiety can lead to difficulties for the child to sleep. Inability to sleep due to stress in children can worsen; parents must help their children fix that problem.
If any of these signs have been identified, parents must not hesitate to take action to help their children because, as known, anxiety can lead to complicated health issues.
Here are some practical ways a parent can help her ward treat anxiety disorders.
How to help your child deal with anxiety.
Talk about it;
Talk about it with your child, and explain what anxiety means and its triggers.
You can then find out by asking him if he has been noticing any signs which could indicate to him that there is something wrong.
Ask him how his day went and why he is sad if you notice some signs.
Coach them;
Guide them through relaxation exercises like deep breathing, where you ask them to breathe in and count up to 8 before asking them to breathe out.
You can also coach them by letting them take their mind to somewhere peaceful like a beach or park, to help calm their nerves.
Be an example;
How do you handle anxiety?
One other best way to help your child deal with anxiety is to be a good model.
Since children look up to their parents, they will look at how you handle stress. If you fail to deal with the situation correctly, the child will find it challenging to deal with it.
When feeling anxious, tell your child that you are feeling a bit stressed, and you need to take a big breath to think about the possible ways to deal with what is keeping you anxious.
Don't forget to tell them that the steps you took to handle your anxiety worked.
Talk to an expert;
If, after trying out all the ways listed above but your child still has anxiety problems, you may consult a pediatrician who has been trained in handling this sort of situation.
Consulting them may help find a permanent solution to your child's anxiety problem.
Conclusion.
Child anxiety, if not treated early, can have many unfavorable influences on a child's life. That is why I strongly recommend if these tips don't work out for your ward, quickly consult an expert to help you out if you have the means to afford one.
Thanks for reading.
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