Several types of anxiety disorders can affect children. The most common include:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Children and adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder experience ongoing, excessive, and unrealistic worries that aren’t tied to a specific thing or event. A child with GAD may worry excessively about:

• Performance: Schoolwork or achievements in activities like sports.

• Safety: Personal safety and the safety of family members.

• Catastrophes: Natural disasters or other major events.

Children with GAD struggle to “turn off” their worries, leading to:

• Difficulty Concentrating.

• Learning Challenges.

• Problems in Social Situations.

Some children may:

• Seek Reassurance Frequently due to insecurity.

• Be Self-Conscious and Self-Doubting.

• Be Overly Concerned with Meeting Expectations.

Generalized anxiety disorder commonly affects children in school and adolescents. Overwhelming worries can lead to physical symptoms like:

• Headaches.

• Social Isolation.

• School Avoidance.

• Friend Avoidance.

Panic Disorder

A panic attack is a sudden, intense episode of anxiety that occurs without an obvious external trigger.

Children or adolescents might experience intense fear or discomfort in certain situations or places, leading to a panic attack. Symptoms can include:

• Shortness of Breath.

• Rapid Heartbeat.

• Tingling Sensations throughout the body.

• Trembling or feeling dizzy or numb.

(If a child is hyperventilating, encourage slow, deep breaths.)

While intense anxiety can cause a panic attack, a child with panic disorder often experiences panic symptoms unexpectedly, without a clear cause. Unlike typical childhood worries, panic attacks can:

• Significantly Disrupt a Child’s Life.

• Interrupt normal activities.

Children with panic disorder often become preoccupied with the fear of future attacks. Panic disorder typically starts in adolescence, though it can begin in childhood, and sometimes has a family link.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Some separation anxiety is normal in babies and toddlers as a developmental stage. Even older children might become clingy occasionally, especially in new environments.

However, separation anxiety disorder may be present in older children who:

• Become unusually distressed when separated from a parent or close figure.

• Struggle to calm down after saying goodbye.

• Experience extreme homesickness when away from home at school, camp, or playdates.

Children with separation anxiety disorder experience significant fear and distress about being away from home or their caregivers. This fear can impair a child’s:

• Social Functioning.

• Academic Performance.

For instance, a child might struggle to:

• Make Friends or Maintain Relationships because they refuse playdates without a parent.

• Sleep Alone without being near a parent or caregiver.

Social Phobia

Social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder, is an overwhelming fear of being judged, humiliated, or embarrassed in front of others. A child with social phobia experiences intense anxiety and self-consciousness in everyday social situations. This goes beyond typical shyness.

A socially anxious child intensely fears embarrassing themselves when:

• Talking to Classmates.

• Answering Questions in Class.

• Participating in Everyday Interactions.

This fear can prevent a child from participating in:

• School.

• Activities.

Some children might even become unable to speak in certain social situations.

Children and adolescents with social phobia often worry about situations like:

• Public Speaking.

• Class Participation.

• Interacting with Adults or Peers.

• Starting or Joining Conversations.

• Eating in Public.

They may also:

• Fear Unfamiliar People.

• Have Trouble Making Friends.

Social phobia can be limited to specific situations. For example, adolescents might fear:

• Dating.

• Social Events.

While they may be confident in:

• Academic Settings.

• Work Environments.

Children and teenagers with social phobia typically avoid feared situations, such as:

• Staying Home from School.

• Avoiding Parties.

Although it can occur as early as age four, it’s more common in adolescents, with an average onset around age 13.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience:

• Obsessions: Intrusive, unwanted thoughts that cause anxiety.

To reduce the anxiety from these thoughts, they perform:

• Compulsions: Repetitive actions, rituals, or routines.

Compulsions can include:

• Washing.

• Counting.

• Organizing Objects.

• Repeatedly Reading Text.

For children with OCD, these thoughts and behaviors:

• Significantly Disrupt Daily Life.

• Cause distress and embarrassment.

OCD can develop at any age but is most common:

• Between ages 8 and 12.

• In late adolescence or early adulthood.

Specific Phobias

Fears are normal in childhood and usually lessen as children grow. However, for some children and teens, fears can become severe. An intense irrational fear of a specific object or situation that is excessive and persistent may be a phobia.

Phobias differ from typical fears because they:

• Don’t Decrease with Reassurance.

• Interfere with a Child’s Life.

Children can develop phobias as young as age five. Common specific phobias include:

• Animals.

• Insects.

• Heights.

• Thunder.

• Driving.

• Dental or Medical Procedures.

• Elevators.

Selective Mutism

Children with selective mutism speak freely in familiar settings but become mute in specific situations or around certain people. Some children with selective mutism may:

• Avoid Eye Contact.

• Refuse to Communicate.

Others might:

• Enjoy Company but Remain Silent.

• Have a close friend speak for them.

Selective mutism usually affects:

• Preschool-aged children.

• Elementary school children, typically before age 10.

Management

Mental health professionals have a much deeper understanding of childhood anxiety disorders today. Regardless of the specific anxiety disorder, professional help is available.

Caregivers play a crucial role at home by being:

• Supportive.

• Understanding.

Caregiver Advice for Home:

• Stay Calm: If the child becomes upset and anxious, remain calm and talk them through it.

• Avoid Punishment: Don’t punish the child for mistakes or lack of progress.

• Positive Reinforcement: “Catch” them doing well; praise even small achievements specifically.

• Prepare for Transitions: For stressful transitions like going to school, allow extra time.

• Communicate with School: Respect privacy but inform teachers and coaches as needed to help them understand.

• Be Available to Listen: Be ready to listen when the child wants to talk about their anxiety, as they often hide fears thinking they won’t be understood. Let them know you are ready to listen whenever they are ready to talk.