What people need to know about children and anxiety part III

First blog talked about causes and symptoms of anxiety disorders in children. The second blog focused on the different types of anxiety disorders. Today’s blog will cover the parents, caregivers can do to help children with anxiety disorder.

Here are some tips to help children with stress and anxiety

• Provide a safe, comfortable, consistent dependable home

• Screen the television programs that young children watch. Even the news with violent scenes can produce fears and anxiety.

• Spend calm and relaxing time with your children. Teach them techniques to relax such as calm music, taking warm baths or closing your eyes and taking deep breaths.

• Encourage exercise. Physical activity can dissipate stress in a productive way.

• Encourage your child to ask questions and provide a safe environment for the child to express concerns, worries or fears.

• Listen to the child without being critical or judgmental.

• Build child’s feelings of self-worth and self-respect. Use encouragement and affection. Use positive reinforcement and rewards instead of punishment.

• Allow the child with opportunities to have control and make valuable decisions.

• Keep your child informed of necessary and anticipated changes such as jobs, moving, different schools.

• Find professional help. You can receive a referral from your child’s pediatrician, teacher, or guidance counselor to speak with a psychiatrist, social worker, therapists, or psychologists. You can ask them about how they treat anxiety and children. Listen for terms such as behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure response prevention. Also, consult with your child’s physician to discuss risks and benefits of medications. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are currently the medications of choice for the treatment of childhood and adult anxiety disorders. This group includes fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa), and escitalopram (Lexapro).

References and resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• ClinicalTrials.gov, National Institutes of Health

• National Institute of Mental Health

• Anxiety Disorders Association of America

• Child Anxiety Network

• Rethink

• Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute

• University of Cincinatti Consumer Health Information

• Children’s Center for OCD and Anxiety

• National Center for Health and Wellness

• SAMHSA National Mental Health Information Center

For books on this topic click the following:

Information on children with anxiety