Affecting one in eight children, anxiety disorders may result in school, social and personal problems, according to Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Although it's common for children to feel apprehensive in new or frightening situations, kids who experience anxiety disorders are unable to bounce back from the temporary nervousness. Learn to recognize symptoms of anxiety in your children and discuss your suspicions with a physician if you suspect an actual anxiety disorder.
Personality Changes
Anxiety may be to blame if your child's personality shifts from carefree or happy to irritable and moody. A child excessively worried about school, friends, extracurricular activities or family members may have trouble concentrating, snap at family members for no reason, appear preoccupied or hesitate to go to class. Massachusetts General Hospital recommends discussing the situation with a mental health professional if your child exhibits signs of moodiness and anxiety consistently for a period of six months or more.
Physical Ailments
The Nemours Foundation website Kids Health, notes that children feeling anxiety may also have physical symptoms because of the mental strain. If your child continually feels stressed, she may experience headaches, stomachaches, a lack of appetite or have sweaty palms. Newly developed nervous habits, such as twitches, hair pulling, nail biting or hand wringing can also be signs of anxiety in children.
Critical Comments
A child feeling anxious about school or social situations may begin to show self-critical behavior. Look for signs of low self-esteem such as the lack of desire to try new activities, frequent negative comments about himself or his school performance, fear about what other children are saying about him or procrastination because he believes he won't succeed. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America stresses that low self-esteem may also indicate depression if your child frequently talks or writes about death or thoughts of suicide.
Sleep Difficulty
Excessive anxiety in children can lead to changes in sleep patterns, according to the Virtual Pediatric Hospital. Your child may sleep excessively or be unwilling to get out of bed in the morning if she's anxious about school or an upcoming event. Conversely, an anxious child may have trouble falling asleep because she can't stop worrying. She may also be unable to sleep through the night if she wakes and begins to ponder stressful situations or experiences frequent nightmares.
Social Problems
Take note if your child's attitude toward friends or social situations begins to change. The National Institutes of Health website Medline Plus, notes that anxious children may no longer wish to interact with friends or family members. Your child may also begin showing aggression toward or excessively complaining about school friends or siblings. Younger children experiencing anxiety may regress and start whining, crying or exhibiting "separation anxiety" that causes him to cling to you, desire to sleep in your bed or throw tantrums if you try to leave for work or leave him at school.
