Child Anxiety Related News and Articles

Is Medication the Best Treatment for Child Anxiety?

Written with Emily Powell, MACC What is the best course of treatment for children and adolescents suffering from anxiety? The research is clear that, when possible, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most effective course of treatment. Medication combined with CBT may be most effective in many cases but for many reasons parents can be cautious or even opposed to the use of medication for their children. So when should medication be considered, if at all, for children with anxiety? (The writers are not physicians and this is not a medical opinion.) First, what exactly is CBT? CBT [...]

What causes obsessive-compulsive disorder in children?

-Written with Emily Powell, MACC Most families with a child experiencing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) would like to know the reasons why their child has pediatric OCD (pediatric referring to children and adolescents under 18-years-old) and what caused it. They are hoping that perhaps identifying the root cause will somehow help with treatment options and decisions. Yet, it’s not that simple to pinpoint the exact “cause” or causes of OCD, nor is it likely to identify one single factor for a disorder as complex and varied as OCD. While it’s only natural for parents (and the [...]

What are the Symptoms of Childhood Anxiety? Part 1

A certain amount of anxiety, worry and fear is part of every normal childhood. At various developmental stages kids have fear of strangers, loud noises, critters, the dark, change, school, storms, etc. While these cause anxiety symptoms, they are not evidence of an anxiety disorder. Most the time these worries eventually fade and there is no need to do anything out the ordinary to help your child. However, there are things to look for as markers that you child has a problem. 4 guidelines to determine if you have a problem There are 4 major guidelines to look for that provide a good rule of [...]

What to do When Your Child Refuses to go to School

In most families and school systems a child refusing to go to school is a crisis. This is not a situation when a child says, “I’m not going,” and the parents just agree. There is usually crying, panic, nausea and pleading. It might seem worse to send your child in this condition than giving in. At the same time there is pressure from the school system that your child attend. Truly a rock and a hard place for parent and child. In this blog I am going to discuss what to do when your child has a fear of going to school and anxiety is the problem behind the resistance. The underlying anxiety [...]

The Power of Touch in Child Brain Development

In the last few posts, I've discussed the importance of adult-child interpersonal relationships in the fostering of brain development. In this interview, I discuss the importance of touch as it relates to child development and discuss the practical things parents can do to increase physical touch. I also discuss society's overreaction to fears concerning child sexual abuse and restrictions now on adult-child contact that is really not healthy for children. We need to rethink how to protect children but also give them the interpersonal relationships they need for good neurological and [...]

Signs of Anxiety in Children

Children have the same anxiety problems as teens and adults. However, kids can have trouble understanding and expressing how they are feeling. This means parents may have to be detectives to get to the bottom of what is going on. Sometimes anxiety is obvious as in the case of a panic attack. Other times it is not so clear. Sometimes the signs of anxiety in children are physical symptoms like stomachaches, muscle pain or fatigue. Some worries or fears are kept secret because of potential embarrassment or imagined disapproval. In children it can be expressed as angry outbursts or extreme [...]

How to help your child relax

Anxiety and stress are on the rise in kids. Whether or not your child has severe anxiety, it is likely your child might be experiencing periods of stress and worry. This can cause all kinds of issues including an increase in medical problems, irritability, poor performance, and sleep difficulties. Teaching your child how to relax is a gift they will use their entire life. This article is about some ways to do that. What you need to know There are two parts of our nervous system that are important for understanding how to relax. One is the sympathetic and the other the parasympathetic. I have [...]

A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents With an Anxious Child

I remember how the idea slowly but surely built up over several weeks about my anxious daughter. “This is not going away.” I was really hopeful it was just a brief episode. I am a psychologist and so I was doing what I could to help. Some days it seemed better. Finally that hope crashed. I used up the repertoire I had at the time. This was a hard moment for us. My wife and I started looking for more help. Even with a doctorate I was pretty mystified. I can only imagine what it must be like for moms and dads without medical or psychological training. So, here is the purpose of this rather [...]