Many children have fears and worries and may feel sad and hopeless from time to time. Strong fears may appear at different times during development. For example, kindergarteners can become very distressed about being away from their parents, even if they are safe and cared for. Although some fears and worries are typical in children, persistent or extreme forms of fear and sadness could be due to anxiety or depression.
Understanding signs of anxiety disorders
When children do not outgrow the fears and worries or when there are so many fears and worries that they interfere with school, home or other activities, the child may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Examples of different types of anxiety disorders include:
Being very afraid when away from parents (separation anxiety)
Having extreme fear about a specific thing or situation, such as dogs, insects or being in dark spaces (phobias)
Being very afraid of school and other places where there are people (social anxiety)
Being very worried about the future and about bad things happening (general anxiety)
Having repeated episodes of sudden, unexpected, intense fear that come with symptoms like heart pounding, having trouble breathing, or feeling dizzy, shaky or sweaty (panic disorder)
Anxiety may appear as fear or worry, but can also make children irritable and angry. Anxiety symptoms can also include trouble sleeping and physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches or stomachaches. Some anxious children keep their worries to themselves and thus, the symptoms can be missed.
Helping in the classroom
Simple steps can be taken by parents as they work with parents to help their child succeed in school. Here are some suggestions:
Talk with the student with the parent or guardian. Discuss anxiety symptoms privately. Never single out a child or call attention to their anxiety in front of the class. Embarrassment or humiliation may increase anxiety symptoms. Note helpful interventions and discuss strategies that may help.
Be aware of physical symptoms. Notice the signs of anxiety and provide activities to distract the child. Calming activities, such as reading or listening to music, may help alleviate some of the physical symptoms and allow a child to return to class work.
Post the daily routine. An unknown schedule or sudden changes can cause a panic attack for a student with anxiety. Post a schedule in the classroom and let students know in advance about any changes. This will help with transitions.
Teach techniques and strategies. After an anxiety attack, explore ways to handle the same kind of situation again. Deep breathing exercises can be helpful for calming down during stressful times. Talk with parents about the techniques and try to incorporate them into the classroom.
Play soothing music during downtime. While children are involved in quiet activities or individual work at their desks, playing calming music helps to relieve stress.
Create a "safe" place. Establish a location where the student may go when anxiety symptoms are high or during stressful times. This may be the office of a staff member or the school nurse. Establish rules for the use of the "safe" place, including informing the teacher about their need to go and calm themselves down.
Reward system. Acknowledge the efforts of a student with anxiety. When the student is able to control their symptoms through interventions, let them know you have noticed and are proud of them.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
