While our natural inclination is to say, “Don’t worry … you’ll be fine,” we risk invalidating our children’s feelings. Ask her if she wants to share her feelings with you.Ĭlearly this tip is a recurring theme, so pay attention.

Ask her if he has something on her mind that is bothering her. Rather than assume that your child is simply angry or frustrated when she refuses to set foot on the school bus, consider that she might be worried. Here are 5 tips for when your child might be anxious:ġ) Consider that your child might be anxious Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were previously classified as anxiety disorders but not fall into their own respective categories.

Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is the anticipation of future threat.” There are several different anxiety disorders outlined in the DSM-V including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Separation Anxiety Disorder, Selective Mutism, Specific Phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), and Panic Disorder. He loses sleep because of fear and worry or she misses out on sports and other social activities and, all your efforts aimed at reassuring your child prove futile.Īccording to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V), “anxiety disorders include disorders that share features of excessive fear and anxiety and related behavioral disturbances. What you see as an ordinary life event such as starting a new school year, making new friends, or going on a field trip, your child truly perceives as frightening or threatening. Anxiety often mimics an array of feelings.Ī common emotional response to stress, anxiety is an emotion characterized by fear, apprehension, and worry. Or what about the kid who cries and says he is afraid something bad is going to happen when you ask him to ride the 3rd floor on the elevator. It could be social anxiety if your child gets visibly upset when you suggest he introduce himself to the neighbor’s kids or when you want to drop her off at a birthday party. However, appointments with the pediatrician or family physician never uncover a medical explanation for his symptoms. Well that might be anxiety, too!Ī child with separation anxiety might complain of daily headaches or nausea and belly pain so severe that they miss school frequently. But what about the child who is irritable and easily agitated or tense and on edge, who is so sick he cannot attend school for days on end, or who is whiny and cloying. The classically anxious child appears scared, fearful, and worried. He asks 20 questions while biting his fingers or twirling her hair. We all have the image of an anxious kid – fretful, pacing, and pensive. This is why I often refer to anxiety as the “the great imitator.” Similarly, youth with anxiety behave differently depending on the child and the setting. Brightly colored male chameleons more easily attract females while a chameleon donning black coloring may be stressed. Color change aids in camouflage, heat regulation, and light absorption but, a chameleon also changes its color in response to its mood.

A chameleon possesses the unique ability to change the color of its skin.

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