Many people are surprised to learn that children can suffer from anxiety disorders just like adults. It can be even more alarming to find out how anxiety disorders manifest themselves in children. What people know about anxiety disorders in adults doesn’t always help them when they are dealing with an anxious child, especially if it is their own child.
Some anxiety disorders that are seen more frequently in children are generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). These conditions and other anxiety disorders can usually be treated by a mental health professional who may use therapy, medication or some combination of the two depending on how the child or adolescent responds to treatment.
The family of the anxious child is very important in treatment. Most therapists will try to involve the child’s parents and siblings. This allows everyone in the family to work together and to learn how to best deal with the anxious child’s behavior.
Being a parent of an anxious child can be uniquely challenging, and it can be difficult to find the appropriate balance of caution and encouragement. Coddling an anxious child and attempting to protect him or her from even the most harmless situations can make the condition worse, according to many psychologists.
Anne Marie Albano, a professor at Columbia, is one mental health professional who agrees with this. In a new book called You and Your Anxious Child, she provides information on how parents can help or hurt their child based on how they react. In an online interview, she also offers some facts she has learned from treating children for anxiety in New York City.
If you want to read what Albano has to say about child anxiety and find out more about her book, click on the link here:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/11/how-to-help-your-anxious-kid.html
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