Children and Youth

Anxiety conditions are experienced by children and youth. Some studies suggest that even infants experience anxiety conditions. They can be fearful of specific things or events, afraid to talk to new people and to make new friends. Anxious children are often overly tense or uptight. Some may seek a lot of reassurance, and their worries may interfere with activities. Because anxious children may also be quiet, compliant and eager to please, their difficulties may be missed. Parents should be alert to the signs of severe anxiety so they can intervene early to prevent complications. It is important not to discount a child's fears.

Children and youth with severe anxiety may have:

• Many worries about things before they happen
• Constant worries or concern about school performance, friends, or sports
• Repetitive thoughts or actions (obsessions)
• Fears about making mistakes
• Low self esteem
• Feel unsafe staying in a room by themselves
• Display ‘clinging’ behavior
• Have severe tantrums when forced to go to somewhere such as school
• Display excessive worry and fear about parents being hurt or about potentially harming themselves
• Follow their parent around the house
• Have difficulty going to sleep
• Have nightmares
• Have exaggerated, unrealistic fears of animals, monster, burglars, etc.
• Fear being alone in the dark
• Constant thoughts and fears about safety of self and parents

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