Childhood anxiety disorders

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Childhood anxiety disorders

In: Classification

Children as well as adults experience feelings of anxiousness, worry and fear when facing different situations, especially those involving a new experience. However, if anxiety is no longer temporary and begins to interfere with the child's normal functioning or do harm to their learning, the problem may be more than just an ordinary anxiousness and fear common to the age.

When children suffer from a severe anxiety disorder their thinking, decision-making ability, perceptions of the environment, learning and concentration get affected. They not only experience fear, nervousness, and shyness but also start avoiding places and activities. Anxiety also raises blood pressure and heart rate and can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, ulcers, diarrhea, tingling, weakness, and shortness of breath. Some other symptoms are frequent self-doubt and self-criticism, irritability, sleep problems, and in extreme cases, thoughts of not wanting to be alive.

If these children are left untreated, they face different risks such as poor results at school, avoidance of important social activities, and substance abuse. Children who suffer from an anxiety disorder are likely to suffer other disorders such as depression, eating disorders, and attention deficit disorders, both hyperactive and inattentive.

About 13 of every 100 children and adolescents between 9 to 17 years experience some kind of anxiety disorder and girls are more affected than boys. The basic temperament of children may be key in some of their childhood and adolescent disorders.

Research in this area is very difficult to perform because as children grow their fears change making it difficult for researchers to obtain enough data and thus more reliable results. For instance, between the ages of 6 and 8, children's fear of the dark and imaginary creatures decreases, but they become more anxious about school performance and social relationships. If children experience an excessive amount of anxiety during this stage, this could lead to development of anxiety disorders later in life.

According to research, childhood anxiety disorders are caused by biological and psychological factors. Also, it is suggested that when children have a parent with anxiety disorders, they are more likely to have an anxiety disorder, too. Stress also can trigger anxiety disorders, but also, children and adolescents with anxiety disorders seem to have an increased physical and psychological reaction to stress. Their reaction to danger, even if it is a small one, is more quickly and more strongly.

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Childhood anxiety disorders