Anxiety is becoming more common in children; the CDC estimates that approximately 25% of teens are treated for an anxiety disorder. Children and teens who do not experience clinical levels of anxiety also have worries and fears that, if unaddressed, could lead to the development of mood disorders as an adult.

So, what do we do to help our worried or anxious child? How can we help them respond skillfully to stress and develop resilience? This series of blog posts on Helping Children Manage Their Worries and Fears addresses these questions.

PART 2 – BACK TO SCHOOL

Most students have started school by now! Most students have also worked out the jitters they feel at the beginning of a new academic year. For some children, however, a new school year marks the start of a new wave of unmanageable worries and fears.

Symptoms of anxiety are often masked by negative behaviors, and this is especially true for children. If you have noticed some behavior changes in your child since school started, remember that there is a function to every behavior and your child may be experiencing a high degree of school stress they don’t know how to talk about. Common behaviors we see in anxious students include:

• Irritability
• Arguing
• Social Withdrawal (from family, friends, or both)
• Avoidance Behaviors (such as not doing homework, chores, or engaging in extracurricular activities)
• Sadness
• Appetite Changes
• Sleep Changes
• Separation Issues (this is more typically seen in younger children)
• Academic Performance Changes

It’s important that we not punish our children for their expressions of anxiety; this damages our relationship with them and rarely provides motivation for behavior change on their part.

If you are seeing some of these symptoms in your child, arrange for a meeting with their teacher(s) or school counselor and learn what you can about their behavior in that setting. If you are concerned about possible learning disabilities contributing to your child’s academic progress, ask about testing. And if you believe therapy could help your child develop skills and strategies for managing their fears and worries, don’t wait until your child is in crisis to seek support.