Does your child seem more fearful than most kids the same age? Are they often withdrawn and afraid? Are you concerned whether or not their behavior is typical for kids their age or if their developing a childhood anxiety disorder? Since childhood anxiety disorders are increased the common, parental concern is reasonable. Here are some thoughts to try to help you sort things out.
Of course, it’s normal for children to experience some degree of anxiety in certain situations. The type and degree of anxiety will vary with the age of the child. Very young children become anxious when their parent leaves the room. It’s also very common for children to be afraid of the dark at some point in timeSlightly older children may be afraid of the dark or of the possibility of monsters in the closet. Teenagers may become anxious about social situations.
Most of the time, children learn how to deal with these situations appropriately and excessive anxiety doesn’t become a problem. You’ve probably recognized other instances of normal, temporary anxiety that the child eventually manages well. As parents, part of our job is to help our children adapt and adjust normally.
Anxiety becomes the problem when a child response almost everything in a fearful way. It’s as if they’re in the process of developing a habit of approaching life from an anxious viewpoint. It’s not dealt with appropriately, the anxiety disorder can persist into adulthood. That’s why it’s important that we help children while they’re young before things become a serious problem.
Sometimes professional help is advisable. However, the parent should always be involved in helping a child. No one can be a big your help or stronger support to a child than their loving, concerned parent.
One start is to be aware of the signs of a childhood anxiety disorder. You’ll probably want to also check out reviews of child anxiety treatment programs available. The most important thing is that you become involved.
One program that I have gone over in some detail and can recommend is The Anxiety Free Child Program. It’s a comprehensive program and I believe every parent would benefit from the information it contains even if the child doesn’t have an anxiety disorder. The time and effort you put into helping a child will make it much more likely that they have a happy childhood in a successful life.