Do You Have a Child With Anxiety? 3 Tips to Ease Their Pain
Childhood anxiety disorder is the most common of all childhood disorders, yet it often goes unnoticed, and untreated.
Did you know that at least 10% of all children are afflicted by above average amounts of anxiety? It’s more common in girls than boys, but only slightly.
The 3 most common anxiety disorders to afflict children are generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. They all share several of the same symptoms, so it’s often hard to diagnose a child with anxiety disorder.
All children have a degree of anxiety, and that’s perfectly normal. However, children with a disorder have a real, and dangerous problem. This anxiety can be triggered by several factors. Among the most common are:
Divorce or parental separation
Parental or sibling illness
Death of a close relative
Being laughed at or teased in school
Witnessing a violent act or injury to another
Any of these events can raise a child’s anxiety level to almost unbearable levels if a disorder is present. The effects on the child can range from increased heart rate, headaches and stomachaches, and high blood pressure. All of these can lead to an extreme panic attack.
If you have a child with anxiety, there are things you can do to ease their anxiety. Here are 3 tips that will help to control your child’s anxiety:
1. Don’t expose them to violent material.
With violent themes prevalent in television, movies, and video games, it’s hard to keep your children shielded from violent images. Even the news sometimes shows violent clips or pictures. Material that emphasizes violence and conflict can be upsetting and cause an increase in anxiety.
2.Control their diet.
Diet has more of an effect on child anxiety than people think. Processed foods containing large amounts of sugar and caffeine can cause agitation and hyperactivity. Healthy foods like carrots and celery can make fun snacks, and they’re great for the child’s physical health as well.
3. Learn about their affliction and identify.
Sometimes all it takes is a soothing word from a parent to quell an anxiety attack. Learn what child anxiety disorder is all about, and how your child feels when experiencing an overly anxious moment or panic attack. This will allow you to deal with the situation in a knowledgeable and effective manner.
These 3 tips won’t cure your child’s anxiety, but they will help to control it. There are many treatment options available and many parents prefer to learn about this affliction and work with their child themselves.