Anxiety

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Anxiety Fearin ChildrenByHeather Praml,
M.Ed., NCCSchool CounselorCedar Hill School

• October 2006

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What is Anxiety?

• Anxiety is the subjective sense of worry,
  apprehension, fear and distress.
  
• It is normal to have these sensations on
  occasion.
  
• Two components physical sensations (headache,
  nausea, sweating) and emotional (nervousness and
  fear).
  
• Severe anxiety can affect a childs thinking,
  decision-making ability, perceptions, learning
  and concentration.

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Causes of Anxiety Disorders

• Psychological Combination of increased internal
  and external stresses overwhelm normal coping
  abilities
  
• Genetic Anxiety disorders tend to exist in
  families where a parent or sibling also has an
  anxiety disorder.
  
• Medical It is important to exclude medical
  diseases as the potential causes or contributors
  to anxiety disorders.

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The Anxious Child

• All children experience anxiety. It is expected
  and normal at specific times of development.
  
• The anxious child may seek a lot of reassurance,
  be overly tense or uptight, or be quiet
  compliant.
  
• A child may have separation anxiety (fear about
  leaving caretakers), a phobia (fear of the dark),
  or social anxiety (few friends outside the
  family).

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What Can Parents Do?

• Take your childs fears seriously. Let him/her
  know you care and that his/her feelings are
  okay.
  
• Use encouragement and praise for coping with and
  approaching a feared situation.
  
• Offer support, saying, I know you are afraid of
  going into the water. Ill be with you to make
  sure you are alright.

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What Can Parents Do? Continued

• A childs fear will usually abate if he feels he
  has some control over it. When dealing with a
  new situation, letting the child know what to
  expect in advance can help them deal with their
  concerns.
• Help your child understand that some fears are
  appropriate (not touching a hot stove, not going
  with a stranger, not running in front of a car
  etc.)

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What Can Parents Do? Continued

• Do not try to tease your child out of the fear,
  i.e. saying, be a big boy or act like a grown
  up
  
• Help the child think of a way to handle the fear
  do not avoid it.
  
• Do not let up on discipline and limits in order
  to appease a fearful child. The child needs the
  security of limits. Reinforce coping, do not
  rescue.

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What Can Parents Do? Continued

• Be aware of your own reactions children are
  tuned into their parents moods and fear can be
  contagious.
  
• Know that fears may not disappear overnight.
• Encourage good sleep habits, reduce stressors and
  avoid stimulants
  

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Books Resources

• The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
• Indigo Dreams Meditation and Relaxation Bedtime
  Stories for Children, Improve Sleep, Manage
  Stress and Anxiety
  
• by Lori Lite
• What to Do When You Worry Too Much A Kids Guide
  to Overcoming Anxiety by Dawn Huebner
  

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Books Resources

• Coping with Anxiety 10 Simple Ways to Relieve
  Anxiety, Fear Worry by Edmund J. Bourne and
  Lorna Garano
  
• SOS Help for Emotions Managing Anxiety, Anger
  and Depression by Lynn Clark
  
• Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood Fears
  Helping Your Child Overcome Anxieties, Fears and
  Phobias
  
• by S.W. Garber, M.D. Garber R.F. Spitzman

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Books Resources

• Keys to Parenting Your Anxious Child by K.
  Manassis
  
• Taming Monsters, Slaying Dragons The
  Revolutionary Family Approach to Overcoming
  Childhood Fears and Anxiety by J. Feiner G.
  Yost
• Jessica the Wolf A Story for Children Who Have
  Bad Dreams by T. Lobby T. Dixon
  

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Books Resources

• Into the Great Forest A Story for Children Away
  From Parents for the First Time by I.W. Marcus
  P. Marcus
  
• Night Light A Story for Children Afraid of the
  Dark
  
• by J. Dutro
• Scary Night Visitors A Story for Children with
  Bedtime Fears by I.W. Marcus, P. Marcus S.
  Jeschke
  

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References for this Presentation

• http//www.aboutourkids.org/aboutour/articles/abou
  t_anxiety.html
  
• www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/conditions/anxiety
  _disorders.html
  
• http//www.aacap.org/page.ww?nameTheAnxiousChil
  dsectionFactsforFamilies
  
• http//mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpub
  s/CA-0007/default.asp
  
• http//www.nmha.org/reassurance/children.cfm