Helping your child overcome anxiety
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Starting in a new grade or a new school can be an anxious moment for any child. Will I like my teacher? What will middle school be like?
Any novel situation can provoke a bit of worry and anxiousness, according to psychologist Bernard Lapp, who practices in West Hartford and Watertown, Conn., and specializes in treating children and adolescents.
“You’re talking about normal anxiety,” he says, and it happens throughout our lives. “If somebody starts a new job, they’re going to feel some anxiety, too.”
Parents can encourage their fretful kids and let them know everything is going to work out fine. Most anxiety will dissipate with a little support and re-assurance.
But when anxiety doesn’t vanish — and isn’t focused narrowly on school — a child may have an anxiety disorder. For example, separation anxiety disorder — a chronic fear of leaving parents or home — will appear not just in a fear of leaving for school, but in anxiety over baby sitters and sleeping away from home.
According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. One in eight children ages 9 to 17 suffers from an anxiety disorder each year.
Anxiety disorders include separation anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, specific phobia and generalized anxiety disorder.
The association recommends that if parents suspect or are told that a child has an anxiety disorder, they should find a treatment provider familiar with caring for anxiety disorders in children, learn as much about the disorder as possible and make sure that both the child and other family members understand it.
Not all children with such disorders need special accommodations at school. If the school needs to help, then set up a meeting with the child’s educators and treatment provider.
And stay in touch with the school to make sure it is meeting the child’s needs.
Dealing with social anxiety disorders and the varied symptoms can be extremely difficult and at times seem like it's impossible. And the ever increasing range of anxiety medications isn't really helping us to solve the problem - they're simply masking the symptoms. I hope to offer help and support on my blog, by sharing my experiences in suffering from and dealing with panic and anxiety attack symptoms.
