Today's topic is a big one, so throw your coffee in the microwave one more time and join me for a deep dive into pediatric anxiety. Lots of our kids struggle with anxiety, which can manifest as everything from difficulty separating at drop-off times to overwhelm at bithday parties, difficulty falling asleep/staying in bed, school avoidance and psychosomatic complaints such as abdominal pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, frequent urination and headaches. You may experience your child's anxiety as fear or worry, but it can also look like irritability, poor focus or anger. Many children have fears and worries and may feel sad or hopeless from time to time. Although this is normal at many stages of development, certain characteristics and patterns lead to the diagnosis of true "anxiety." I tend to use this word when children do not outgrow these fears in a typical timeframe or when their worries interfere with school, home, or play activities.There are various official "rating scales" to diagnose anxiety, which I utilize in some situations. But often these are unnecessary to know that a child's functioning in and enjoyment of the world are being negatively impacted by their excessive worry. This article from the Child Mind Institute does a good job of summarizing anxiety in children.
