Anxiety Symptoms in Children

Symptoms of anxiety in children can begin when they are 18 months old. These anxiety symptoms in children have to be treated as soon as possible to avoid any permanent damage in adulthood.

Your hands grow cold and sweaty and drops of sweat come trickling down from the corners of your forehead. It's time to walk up the stage. So, you somehow do, but your feet, as heavy as a rock, prevent you from getting on the stage. The spotlight pans in on you. And bang!! You are at a complete loss of words and in no control of the situation. This is a typical 'gripped by anxiety' situation. We have all been there and done that. As children, and as first timers, for a lot of things, anxiety is normal. But when this situation becomes recurrent and the anxiety symptoms take over day to day activities in a child's life, it has to be dealt with proper help. Let's understand what are high anxiety symptoms in children, so that you are well prepared in case of doubt.

Symptoms of Anxiety in Children

Given below are a few oft-seen anxiety symptoms in children:

Restlessness

Nausea

Headache

Poor concentration

Fatigue

Irritability

Muscle tension

Troubles or fights within friend circle

Trouble sleeping

Sleep disorders

Sweating

Chest Pain

Chills or hot flashes

Dizziness

Numbness

Shaking

Feeling choked

Feeling of being detached from oneself

Feeling of losing control

Being in constant fear

Tingling

Escaping from situation

Aversion from activities

Being anti-social

Low self esteem

Being over critical

Freezing

Clinging

Tantrums

Dealing with Anxiety Symptoms in Children

The symptoms of anxiety in children listed above, differ with the type of anxiety disorder. However, anxiety symptoms in children are similar to the ones mentioned earlier. Let's see what are the types of anxiety disorder symptoms in children and what are the symptoms of anxiety in children.

Social Anxiety Symptoms in Children

Social Anxiety Disorder or SAD in children is usually seen before or at the time of joining school. Children suffering from this disorder are constantly living under a fear, that they will act or speak in an embarrassing manner. SAD is also seen among teenagers as their friend circle changes and they come across different people. The symptoms of anxiety in children seen under SAD are:

Panic attacks

Crying

Tantrums

Freezing

Avoidance

Anxious anticipation

Distress

School refusal

Defiance

Anger

Separation Anxiety Disorder

A child gets too attached to its parents in the first 18 months to 3 years. Showing symptoms of separation anxiety are considered to be normal during this period. However, when this continues after 3 years of age, it's termed as separation anxiety disorder. A child is likely to experience extreme pangs of anxiety when away from home. The common symptoms of anxiety in children when suffering from separation anxiety are:

Refusal to going to places all alone (stay overs or camps)

School Refusal

Cling on to parents

Expect parents to go everywhere

Get extremely homesick

Have nightmares when staying away from home

Sleep with a parent or parents

Selective Mutism

Selective mutism makes things worse for the child. In selective mutism, the child refuses to speak in the most important situations. This is often seen in children around the age of 4-8, when they are in the phase of settling down with 'school atmosphere'. In a case of selective mutism, a child will show most of the previously mentioned anxiety symptoms. The anxiety symptoms of children suffering with selective mutism are:

Exhibit extreme shyness

Freeze or get totally motionless

Avoid eye contact

Exhibit separation anxiety

Get out of sight

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive worrying over various trivial things. This affects children within the age bracket of 6-11 years, as the academic and extra curricular activities begin to mount. The anxiety symptoms in children suffering from generalized anxiety disorder are:

Fatigue

Muscle Tension

Difficulty in breathing

Sleeplessness

Irritability

Destructive behavior

Poor concentration

Children also suffer from panic disorders, wherein the child may have a panic attack and lose control over his/her actions. Another most important anxiety disorder is specific phobias of animals, darkness, objects, people, heights etc. These anxiety disorders typically exhibit anxiety symptoms in children, which have to be carefully observed and treated immediately. Get in touch with your doctor and deal with it as soon as possible, to ensure a secure and a healthy future for your child.