Just as adults, children may also worry excessively about various things, such as their academic performance, family problems or relationship with peers. It is normal when a child fears that something bad or not so good might happen. In fact, feeling anxious about myriads of things while growing up is a healthy sign of development. But, when the fears are not transitory in nature, and children continue to dwell on them, it could be a sign of an underlying problem.
If ignored, it could considerably affect the way they perform in school, their ability to make new friends, and even their life at home. While anxiety-related symptoms can be successfully managed, it is important to identify symptoms for complete recovery from the mental health condition. Here are some of the symptoms seen in children experiencing anxiety:
- fear of strangers and loud noises in infants
- fear of being separated from parents, animals and the dark among toddlers
- fear of the supernatural, getting lost, injuring oneself, etc. during mid childhood
- fear of heights, burglars, doctors and dying during late childhood
- fear of rejection, being ridiculed by peers and examinations during late childhood
Children hide their anxieties from parents
Children usually hide whatever is troubling them. The scornful or irritated look on their parents' face reinforces the fact that when they do not abide by the rules of the house, they will get a scolding. In other words, they learn how to associate looks and facial expression with words and feelings from a very tender age.
In such a situation, remaining calm becomes a big challenge for parents, especially when it comes to handling disobedient children. In reality, handling such emotional situations with a calm mind is the first step toward effective parenting. However, it is important to note that frequent bouts of anxiety can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, negatively impacting their self-worth and confidence. Therefore, parents and caregivers must pay full attention to a child's feelings and should stay calm when the child is grappling with anxiety-related symptoms.
Ways to help children break the cycle of anxiety
While anxiety disorder diagnosis is not a sign of poor parenting, it is important for parents to build a supportive environment to help an anxious child lead a normal life. Here are some tips to handle anxiety in kids:
Helping to manage anxiety: Eliminating anxiety can be a short-term solution, but in today's times it will actually cause harm in the long run. What matters is to teach them to cope with anxiety, rather than treating it as a deterrent in life. Doing so will cause anxious feelings to wither away over a period of time.
Instilling confidence: Anxieties are something unavoidable and realistic in life. By being positive and reassuring, parents can instill confidence in children to overcome their fears. This will help them realize that they can handle expectations.
Eliminating fears: Children experience anxieties and fears concerning many things. Parents should be careful not to reinforce such feelings with their tone of voice, unintentional actions or facial expressions. Such negative reinforcement can exacerbate their anxieties.
Way forward
It is very saddening to see children live with anxiety disorders. They tend to feel anxious about many things at various ages, but if anxiety becomes a part of life, it is a sign of trouble. In that case, it needs an expert's help.
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