What are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety is being worried, scared, or nervous. Some anxiety is common and normal at all ages. For example, many young children are afraid of the dark. Older children are often anxious when they have a test.
However, anxiety may become a disorder if:
Children are anxious a lot of the time even when they aren't having problems
What they're anxious about isn't that bad
Their anxiety gets in the way of daily life and causes problems at home or school
Children can have many of the same anxiety disorders as adults. These include generalized anxiety, panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and specific fears (phobias).
Other anxiety disorders occur mainly in children or are different in children. These include separation anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder (fear of being judged).
Generally, with anxiety disorders:
Children may refuse to go to school and give excuses such as a stomach ache as the reason
The disorders can run in families
Many children who have an anxiety disorder struggle with anxiety in adulthood
Treatment usually helps, including talking to a therapist and sometimes taking medicine
What are the symptoms of anxiety disorders in children?
Children and teens with an anxiety disorder commonly:
Refuse to go to school
Talk about their anxiety, saying things like “I’m worried that I’ll never see you again” or “I’m worried kids will laugh at me”
Complain of physical symptoms—anxiety can cause an upset stomach, nausea, and headaches
How can doctors tell if my child has an anxiety disorder?
Your doctor asks about symptoms. If your child has a lot of physical symptoms, such as stomach aches or headaches, doctors may do tests for physical disorders that can cause those symptoms.
How do doctors treat anxiety disorders in children?
Doctors treat anxiety disorders in children with:
Behavior therapy, where a therapist gradually exposes your child to the situation that causes anxiety so that, over time, your child becomes less anxious
Sometimes, medicine
