Download Coping with The Emotional Lives of Children

When To Worry
About Your
Child’s Worries
Presented by:
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Month XX, 2012
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Anxiety can be a
good thing
• Anxiety is a normal and adaptive system
in the body that tells us when we are
in danger.
• Sometimes our bodies warn us about
danger that isn’t real.
When To Worry About
Anxiety
• Anxiety becomes a problem when it interferes
with functioning:
– Intensity
• What is the degree of the stress present?
– Impairment
• Does the stress interfere with daily life?
– Flexibility
• Can your child recover when the stressor is not
present?
When To Worry About
Anxiety
Severe anxiety is:
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–
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unrealistic
out of proportion
overly self-conscious
unwanted and uncontrollable
doesn’t go away
leads to avoidance
Facts About Anxiety
Disorders
• Anxiety disorders affect approximately
13% of American children and adolescents.
• Anxiety disorders are the greatest predictors
of mood disorders and alcohol abuse in
adulthood.
• More than 40 million adults in the US (18%)
have reported disabling anxiety that negatively
impacts their lives.
Generalized Anxiety
Disorder
• Characterized by pervasive, unwarranted
worry about a variety of everyday things
• Often focused on performance in school
or sports
• Can lead to physical symptoms like
stomachaches and headaches
Separation Anxiety
Disorder
• Characterized by inappropriate and excessive
anxiety about separating from parents or
caregivers
• Difficulty separating is normal in early childhood
development; it becomes a disorder if the fear
and anxiety interfere with age-appropriate
behavior.
• Usually occurs before age 10
Social Anxiety Disorder
• Characterized by excessive self-consciousness
that goes beyond common shyness or nerves
• Mostly affects adolescents
• 2 main types:
– Performance
– Interactional
• Can lead to isolation and depression
Selective Mutism (SM)
• Children with SM are unable to speak outside
the home
• Should not be confused with reluctance to
speak
• Can cause severe distress
Specific Phobias
• Characterized by an excessive and irrational
fear of an object or situation not normally
considered dangerous
• Common childhood phobias
– Natural environment
– Animals
– Blood
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD)
• Characterized by unwanted thoughts, images or
impulses (called obsessions) that a child
attempts to fend off or neutralize by performing
compulsions (ritualized or repeated behaviors).
• OCD can manifest as early as 5 years old.
What to Do When Kids
Are Anxious
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•
•
•
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Try to manage anxiety, not eliminate it
Model healthy ways of handling anxiety
Don’t reinforce fear
Stop avoiding
Talk things through
Find help
Where to find help
• [Include your contact information]
• [Add information on resources in your
area]
Learn more about anxiety on childmind.org
Thank you for joining us to
Speak Up for Kids!