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What
are Anxiety Disorders? Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders typically experience intense fear, worry, or uneasiness that can last for long periods of time and significantly affect their lives. Many different anxiety disorders affect children and adolescents. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental, emotional, and behavioral problems to occur during childhood and adolescence. About 13 of every 100 children and adolescents ages nine to 17 experience some kind of anxiety disorder; girls are affected more than boys. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Children and adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder engage in extreme, unrealistic worry about everyday life activities. Separation Anxiety Disorder: Children with separation anxiety disorder often have difficulty leaving their parents to attend school or camp, stay at a friend’s house, or be alone. Phobias: Children and adolescents with phobias have unrealistic and excessive fears of certain situations or objects. Panic Disorder: Repeated “panic attacks” in children and adolescents without an apparent cause are signs of a panic disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder sometimes called OCD become trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Children and adolescents can develop post-traumatic stress disorder after they experience a very stressful event. Such events may include experiencing physical or sexual abuse; being a victim of or witnessing violence; or living through a disaster, such as a bombing or hurricane. What help is available for young people with anxiety disorders? While cognitive-behavioral approaches are effective in treating some anxiety disorders, medications work well with others. Some people with anxiety disorders benefit from a combination of these treatments. More research is needed to determine what treatments work best for the various types of anxiety disorders. What can parents do? If parents or other caregivers notice repeated symptoms or an anxiety disorder in their child or adolescent, they should: |
Children's
Mental Health Facts: Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders (from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Mental Health Information Center) |
•
Talk with the child’s health care provider. • Look for a mental health professional trained in working with children and adolescents, who has used cognitive-behavioral or behavior therapy and has prescribed medications for this disorder, or has cooperated with a physician who does. • Ask questions about treatment and services. • Find family network organization |
Mental
health problems affect one in every five young people at any given
time. "Serious emotional disturbances" for children and adolescents refers to the above disorders when they severely disrupt daily functioning in home, school, or community. Serious emotional disturbances affect one in every 10 young people at any given time. For assistance/information call: 1-800-789-2647 National Mental Health Information Center 1-800-969-6642 (press 1) Mental Health America 1-800-273-8255 24 Hour Crisis Line (Mental Health America) 1-240-403-1901 National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health 1-800-950-6264 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) www.nami.org |
How
Families Can Help Children Cope with Fear and Anxiety. Whether tragic events touch your family personally or are brought into your home via newspapers and television, you can help children cope with the anxiety that violence, death, and disasters can cause. Listening and talking to children about their concerns can reassure them that they will be safe. Even young children may have specific questions about tragedies. |
• Encourage children to ask questions. Listen to what they say. Provide comfort and assurance that address their specific fears. It’s okay to admit you can’t answer all of their questions. • Talk on their level. Communicate with your children in a way they can understand. • Focus on the positive. Reinforce the fact that most people are kind and caring. Remind your child of the heroic actions taken by ordinary people to help victims of tragedy. • Pay attention. Ask them to tell you what is going on in the game or the picture. It’s an opportunity to clarify any misconceptions, answer questions, and give reassurance. • Develop a plan. Establish a family emergency plan for the future, such as a meeting place where everyone should gather if something unexpected happens in your family or neighborhood. It can help you and your children feel safer. |
Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) All children and adolescents experience stressful events which can affect them both emotionally and physically. Their reactions to stress are usually brief, and they recover without further problems. A child or adolescent who experiences a catastrophic event may develop ongoing difficulties known as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The stressful or traumatic event involves a situation where someone's life has been threatened or severe injury has occurred. A child's risk of developing PTSD is related to the seriousness of the trauma, whether the trauma is repeated, the child's proximity to the trauma, and his/her relationship to victim(s). Following the trauma, children may initially show agitated or confused behavior. They also may show intense fear, helplessness, anger, sadness, horror or denial. Children who experience repeated trauma may develop a kind of emotional numbing to deaden or block the pain and trauma. Children with PTSD avoid situations or places that remind them of the trauma. They may also become less responsive, emotionally depressed, withdrawn, and more detached from their feelings. Children with PTSD may also show the following symptoms: |
• Losing interest in activities • Having physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches • Showing more sudden and extreme emotional reactions • Showing irritability or angry outbursts • Having problems concentrating • Acting younger than their age (for example, clingy or whiny behavior, thumb sucking) • Showing increased alertness to the environment |
The
symptoms of PTSD may last from several months to many years. Once
the trauma has occurred, however, early intervention is essential. Support from parents, school, and peers is important. Emphasis needs to be placed upon establishing a feeling of safety. Behavior modification techniques and cognitive therapy may help reduce fears and worries. Medication may also be useful to deal with agitation, anxiety, or depression. How does River Oak help children and adolescents with anxiety disorders? River Oak treatment for anxiety disorders with children may be specific to the type of anxiety disorder with which the child is diagnosed. For most forms of anxiety, River Oak generally utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This may include Exposure Therapy for specific phobias, and may also include psycho-education for the child and parent, relaxation training, and cognitive therapy. Other treatment methods may include skills building, such as communication, problem solving, and assertiveness, social skills training, and relapse prevention skills. River Oak has many staff trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), which is an evidence based practice specific to the treatment of trauma. Children diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or children with a specific trauma will usually receive TF-CBT if appropriate for the child. This treatment may include, among other things, relaxation and other coping techniques, understanding inaccurate ways of thinking, and how parents can also help a child cope with triggers to anxiety. Important messages about children's and adolescents' mental health: |
•
Every child’s mental health is important. • Many children have mental health problems. • These problems are real and painful and can be severe. • Mental health problems can be recognized and treated.• Losing interest in activities |
5030
El Camino Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608, (916) 609-5100, fax (916)
609-5160 info@riveroak.org |