Anxiety Disorder in Children

Anxiety disorder in children can happen and needs to be treated. Children can suffer from stress and anxiety disorders just as adults and their social and intellectual development can suffer.

A severe form of anxiety disorder in children is referred to as Selective mutism, formerly called elective mutism.  It’s debilitating and is not something the "child will outgrow" with time. There seems to be a genetic predisposition and these children often have one or more close relatives with an anxiety disorder. Selective mutism is usually not the result of trauma or abuse.

Look for these signs:

• Does your child speak freely at home but will not speak at school and/or other social situations?
  
• Do they have a General fear of unfamiliar people?
  
• Does your child have a “frozen look”, does not smile or is unresponsive in social situations?
  
• Did your child shows signs of anxiety early in the childhood or infancy: separation anxiety, frequent tantrums, crying, moodiness, inflexibility or sleep problems?
  
• Does your child display stiff or awkward body language when in a social setting and generally appear very uncomfortable or unhappy around strangers?
  
• Does your child seem extremely nervous in social situations; chew or twirl their hair, avoid eye contact, keep their head down, withdraw into a corner, play by themselves and isolate themselves from the group? 
  
• Does your child hide behind you and is clingy in social situations? 

If your child exhibits these symptoms, there are excellent resources where you can find expert advice for dealing with this disorder.

http://www.selectivemutismcenter.org

It is critical that there is early intervention for children with social anxiety disorder. These children suffer lonely childhoods and many turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their anxiety later in life. They also have a higher rate of suicide. There is no reason to suffer when there is so much help available today.

There is self-help for the anxiety disorder in children...

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