1. What to know and how to help
Anxiety & Children
What to know and how to help

2. What is Anxiety?
Intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations
Repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks)
Interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time
Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood

3. Signs & Symptoms of Anxiety
Feeling nervous, restless or tense
Feeling weak or tired
Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
Having an increased heart rate
Having trouble sleeping
Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
Sweating
Having difficulty controlling worry
Trembling
Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

4. Types of Anxiety Agoraphobia Selective Mutism**
Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition
Separation Anxiety Disorder**
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)**
Panic Disorder
Specific Phobias**
Substance-induced Anxiety Disorder
Other specified anxiety disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder
There are many different types of anxiety. Of this list, there are 4 main types you might see within children – Selective Mutism; Separation Anxiety Disorder; Social Anxiety Disorder; and Specific Phobias.

5. Anxiety in Children
Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as at home with close family members. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.
Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that's excessive for the child's developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.
Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you're exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid it. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people.

6. Examples of Anxiety within Children
You walk into the cafeteria and see your friends whispering and laughing. You’re afraid they’re laughing at you. Even when they promise they weren’t, you keep worrying.
You love soccer and you want to try out for the team, but you don’t because you’re worried about people looking at you.
You want to ask the teacher a question, but you can’t because you are afraid you will sound stupid.
You agonize over taking tests because you may not perform well.
You dread reading out loud because you might pronounce something wrong or skip a word.

7. Avoiding Anxiety = Increasing Anxiety
Making excuses to stay home – skip school or social events
Calms short term anxiety; increases long term anxiety
Hinders learning and overall growth
Avoiding fears can become habitual behavior, which leads to further withdrawal, and increased anxiety

8. Treatment for Anxiety Psychotherapy Medications
Talk therapy or Psychological Counseling – working with a therapist to reduce symptoms of anxiety
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – focuses on teaching specific skills to improve symptoms of anxiety and gradually return to the activities avoided because of anxiety
Also includes: Exposure Therapy – gradually encounter the object or situation that triggers your anxiety; builds confidence to manage the situation and anxiety symptoms
Play Therapy – focuses on understanding children’s play; utilized to help children cope with difficult emotions and find solutions to problems
Medications
Antidipressants
Anti-anxiety medication

9. Tips for Parents Expectations of your child
Build your child’s personal strength
Letting your child learn to do things on his/her own
Helping your child handle his/her own feelings
Passing on your fears
Working together as Parents
Consequences

10. Questions/Thoughts

11. For more Information:
Janine Guerrieri Parent Coordinator PS 3 Kathleen Conger, LMSW School Mental Health Consultant Office of School Health