All children experience anxiety. Anxiety in children is expected and normal at specific times in development. For example, from approximately age 8 months through the preschool years, healthy youngsters may show intense distress (anxiety) at times of separation from their parents or other persons with whom they are close. Young children may have short-lived fears, (such as fear of the dark, storms, animals, or strangers). Anxious children are often overly tense or uptight. Some may seek a lot of reassurance, and their worries may interfere with activities. Parents should not discount a child’s fears. Because anxious children may also be quiet, compliant and eager to please, their difficulties may be missed. Parents should be alert to the signs of severe anxiety so they can intervene early to prevent complications.
How much anxiety is “normal” for a child?
Fears and worries in children can be common and developmentally appropriate. Infants, for example, are easily startled and, later on, develop a transient fear of strangers. Toddlers typically fear darkness, imaginary creatures, and being separated from their caretakers. School-age children tend to worry about injury, death, and natural events such as storms. Pre-adolescents and adolescents typically experience anxiety around school performance, social status, and health issues.
Developmentally appropriate fears become problematic if they do not subside with time, or if they are severe enough to impair a child’s day-to-day functioning. A clinician can help distinguish normal, developmentally appropriate anxiety or shyness from an anxiety disorder that requires further intervention and treatment.
For more information check out the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology
website at http://www.aacap.org/
To help children with anxiety disorders Stress Free Kids has created books and CDs. Parents should look at the book and CD Family Packages for the stories and techniques that can help. Read what other Mom’s and Professionals are saying in our endorsements area or feel free to contact us at 800.841.4204.