Childhood Anxiety DISORDERS AND TREATMENT

What is Anxiety?  Anxiety - Feeling worried nervous, or uneasy about a certain thing.  Ex: Feeling anxious about an event, past, present, future, etc.

Types of Anxiety Disorders  - Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)  - Panic Disorder  - Separation Anxiety Disorder  - Specific phobias  - Selective Mutism  - Social Anxiety Disorder  - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder What it is - Excessive worrying and nervousness about certain things and events. Children tend to excessively worry about past, present, or future events or social situations. Symptoms - Restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance. Treatment - Children are taught to acknowledge their behavior issues and taught to become more positive with themselves unlike being negative.

Panic Disorder What it is - Reoccurring panic attacks that can cause physical or emotional pain. Symptoms Physical: Increased heart rate, chest pain, shoulder pain, difficulty breathing, sweating, hot or cold flashes, dizziness, and numbness or tingling in the limbs Emotional: Children with panic disorders tend to be fearful of going to events or going to places because they could get panic attacks Treatment - Children are taught to learn that their behavior needs change and are taught to think more realistically.

Separation Anxiety Disorder What it is - Occurs in children who are unable to separate from a parent, family member, etc. Symptoms - Excessive worrying about potential danger towards oneself. Treatment - Cognitive behavioral treatment. Children are asked to point out their feelings are reactions towards separation and then taught a way to cope with separation.

Specific Phobias What it is - Intense irrational fears of certain things or situations Symptoms - Crying, tantrums, sweatiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, etc. Treatment - Relaxation training, exposure therapy

Selective Mutism What it is - Children choose not to speak in certain social situations to prevent embarrassment or humiliation. Symptoms - Unable to speak in public or even to peers. Treatment - Cognitive behavioral techniques.

Social Anxiety Disorder What it is - Fear of being social. Children with this disorder are mostly afraid of embarrassed or humiliated in front of their peers. Symptoms - Children tend to fear going to social events, school, etc. Treatment - To teach children appropriate social skills and behaviors, use cognitive therapy techniques.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder What it is - To excessively obsess and act compulsive over certain things Symptoms - Obsessiveness, hoarding, repetition of behavior and social isolation. Treatment - Medications like, Citalopram, Buspirone and Sertraline.