About 13 percent of children suffer from a type of anxiety disorder, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. Some of the childhood anxiety disorders also occur during adulthood, such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder. Separation anxiety disorder, on the other hand, is particular to childhood, as it stems from a child being away from her parents. Treatment helps the child manage her symptoms and function at school and home.
Therapy
Therapy is effective for childhood anxiety disorders, as it teaches the child how to cope with the anxiety. One type of therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps the child change the negative thoughts that cause the anxiety into positive thoughts. The therapy can be short-term, but it teaches the child techniques he can use through adulthood. The Anxiety Disorder Association of America (ADAA) states that cognitive behavioral therapy also helps the child separate realistic and unrealistic thoughts. Family therapy may also be used to get the child's family involved in his treatment. This type of therapy also help family members better understand the child's symptoms.
Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques can be done with therapy or on their own. The child uses relaxation techniques when she feels tense, is triggered by a stressor or has a hard time coping with the anxiety. Examples include meditation, in which the child finds a quiet space to center herself and clear her thoughts, and breathing exercises, which can reduce her heart rate during an anxiety attack.
Medication
Medication reduces the severity of anxiety symptoms. Medication is often combined with cognitive behavioral therapy; the ADAA states that patients between the ages of 7 and 17 have better results with combination therapy than with cognitive behavioral therapy or medication alone. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, are the medication of choice for a childhood anxiety disorder. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that SSRIs can cause an increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, so parents should monitor any changes in behavior when their child begins a medicine regimen.
