Anxiety
Signs of anxiety in children:
- Finding it hard to concentrate
- Not sleeping throughout the night
- Having bad dreams
- Eating more or less than usual
- Quickly becoming angry or irritable
- Constantly worrying
- Feeling restless
- Feeling tense and fidgety
- Crying Spells
- Being clingy, (mostly in younger children)
- Complaining of stomach aches
Ways to ease anxiety:
- Teach youth how to recognize and manage anxiety
- Maintain routines
- Provide support for distressing events
- Prepare for changes
- Practice relaxation techniques, such as taking 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3.
- Create a "worry box” to express and address their worries
How to talk about anxiety:
Step 1: Encouraging your child to open up about any fears and worries.
- Tell your child about something you were scared of when you were the same age and ask if they have any similar worries or fears.
Step 2: Teaching your child about anxiety.
- Explain to your child the three parts of anxiety: thoughts, physical feelings and behaviors.
Step 3: Helping your child recognize anxiety.
- “When I feel anxious, I get butterflies in my tummy, and I get a big lump in my throat. What happens when you feel anxious?”
How to get help:
- Connect to your child’s pediatrician.
- Connect with a mental health care provider.
- Connect with your child’s school to discuss supportive options that may be available.
