Parent and Child Psychological Services of Sarasota
  • Home
  • About Our Team
  • General Therapy Info
  • Anxiety
  • Behavior Problems/PCIT
  • OCD, PANS/PANDAS & BFRBs
  • Selective Mutism
  • Trauma
  • Testing
  • Resources & Events
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • No Surprise Act
  • Employment/Training Opportunities
Parent and Child Psychological Services PLLC 
941.357.4090 (Office)/ 727.304.3619 (Fax)
​Instagram: @childtherapysrq

Anxiety and Children by rachel funnell, LMFT

2/14/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
​What is Anxiety?:
The definition of anxiety is: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Anxiety is there to keep us from danger. It is a built-in self-protection mechanism that every human has.There is nothing wrong with experiencing the feeling of anxiety; it is how we react to those feelings that can lead to harm or unhealthy behaviors.


What does anxiety look like in children?
These are some examples but anxiety can present in many, many other ways.
  • Clinging/separation anxiety
  • tantrums
  • crying
  • hypervigilance
  • avoidance of people/places or things (which can often look like refusing to go/do what is expected)
  • regression (bedwetting, thumb sucking, baby-talk)
  • tics, or unusual kinetic movements
  • increased sensory seeking behaviors
  • shutting down
  • rapid talk/increased inquisitiveness, or reassurance seeking
  • selective mutism
  • lack of concentration/inattentiveness 
  • increased somatic complaints
  • agitation
  • restlessness
  • difficulties with transitions
  • sleep disruptions

What is a protective level of anxiety and what is a problematic level?
The anxiety is considered to be a problem when it affects the child’s daily functioning. There will be many times throughout a child’s life that anxiety will increase due to life events and this is not to be a concern unless it becomes chronic. Some diagnoses require at least 4 weeks of ongoing symptoms and others at least 6 months.

Causes of anxiety
  • Trauma: disasters, accidents, abuse etc but also medical procedures, community violence, death of a loved one-person or pet, a move, witnessing violence
  • Learned behaviors: children pick up cues from the adults in their lives and learn how to manage their feelings by modeling what they see 
  • Genetic predisposition; including sensory sensitivities

When do you know that your child needs professional help?  
When the anxiety is affecting the daily functioning of the child and/or the family for a few weeks and is not the result of a situation that one would expect anxiety to increase. In addition, if the heightened anxiety continues after the situation has resolved, professional attention may be warranted.



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Parent and Child Psychological Services is a private practice serving children and families in the Sarasota, Florida area. The practice is owned and operated by Dr. Gibson, a Licensed Psychologist who is Board Certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. ​

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Parent and Child Psychological Services PLLC 
info@childtherapysrq.com
941.357.4090 (Office)
727.304.3619 (Fax)                                                                                                                                                               
4071 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 204                                                                                                              
Sarasota, FL 34233                                                                                                                                   
Proudly powered by Weebly