• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Anxiety Therapy for Children

December 10, 2010 by ds_48763 Leave a Comment

If you have an anxious child, you have one who is fearful and typically nervous. Many times, anxious children are too embarrassed to tell you the real problem, so when you ask, they might be secretive and tell you they feel sick, tired, or even that they are fine. If you do nothing to help an anxious child, he might start avoiding situations that produce the anxiety, which can result in isolating behavior, skipping school or drug or alcohol abuse.

Children With Anxiety

Children with anxiety worry excessively about any number of things. They might worry about something that happened in their past, about being accepted by kids at school, about something happening in your family or about doing well in school or sports. A child might not realize that she is worrying more than what is considered normal, so you need to recognize the signs. Determine whether your child worries or is afraid about events that are going to happen far in the future, is a perfectionist and is extremely self-critical, blames herself for any tragedy, is afraid something bad is going to happen to her and needs constant reassurance. An anxious child may cry often, act sad, become easily distressed, have headaches or stomachaches and have difficulty sleeping. If you notice some or all of these symptoms, get an evaluation from a therapist or a counselor to determine whether your child can benefit from anxiety therapy and avoid any further suffering.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Most children’s treatment for anxiety is cognitive-behavioral therapy, which consists of skills training and applying the skills. First, children learn techniques to reappraise whatever makes them fearful. Children also learn how to relax and how to reward themselves. The therapist typically has the child list his fears, from least to worst, and works on the least-fearful situations first, while working up to the worst.

Family Treatment

Another effective treatment method includes the family as well as the anxious child. When cognitive-behavioral therapy includes the family, this can be even more effective that having the child in therapy alone, according to Dr. Jeffrey J. Wood, writing for the “Psychiatric Times.”

Parent-Child Interactions

Family cognitive-behavioral therapy addresses parent-child interactions. A parent who is too intrusive, taking over tasks a child should be doing herself, could be contributing to the problem. This type of parenting can lead to retarding a child’s level of functioning, and it can foster an immature child. Examples of being too intrusive are helping your school-aged child with daily routines, such as getting dressed, treating your school-aged child like a baby by showing excessive physical affection or using immature language and by not respecting your child’s privacy. By doing for your child, you are not giving her a chance to develop and create feelings of mastery over her environment. When a child feels confident, she feels courageous, not fearful.

Examples

Examples of parent-training therapy include teaching you how to give your child choices when he can’t decide rather than simply choosing for him, allowing your child to struggle with a task instead of doing it for him, and understanding and accepting your child’s emotions instead of criticizing them. By combining parent training with cognitive-behavioral training for a child, you should see improvement within several months. Otherwise, you might need to reevaluate the therapy and possibly change therapists.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About ds_48763

Laura Agadoni has been writing professionally since 1983. Her feature stories on area businesses, human interest, and health and fitness appear in her local newspaper. She has also written and edited for a grassroots outreach effort and has been published in "Clean Eating" magazine and in "Dimensions" magazine, a CUNA Mutual publication. Agadoni has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from California State University-Fullerton.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

It’s One of Those “I Suck” Days…

Do you ever just have one of those I suck days? I do - a … [Read More...] about It’s One of Those “I Suck” Days…

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

What Can I Substitute for Butter When Making Frosting?

pregnancy & tooth pain

Pregnancy & Tooth Pain

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Signs of Gestational Diabetes

Pregnancy & Signs of Gestational Diabetes

Health Benefits of Drinking Kombucha

The Health Benefits of Drinking Kombucha

Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

How to Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

Can I Use Baking Powder to Thicken Sauce

Can I Use Baking Powder to Thicken Sauce?

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.