Childhood Anxiety Probable Reasons & How to Deal With it

Anxiety is a state of mind that makes a person feel vulnerable to certain situations. From focus and concentration to self-confidence, many character traits get shadowed by this state of mind. While anxiety and stress are the two things we generally associate with adult people, not many know that even children can become prey to it.

Especially in the current times of the pandemic, when children are bound to stay within the confines of their home, the issue of anxiety is cropping up like wildfire among children. However, the good part is that anxiety always gets reflected through some behavioral changes, which indicate that your kid might be feeling nervous about something. If you understand the symptoms in time, helping the kids get rid of the issue won’t be a problem.

At JP International School, we believe that parents are always the best support system for the kids, no matter the challenges. Hence, keep a note on your child’s behavior, and if at all you feel that the child is behaving unusually or is shying away from gelling with peers, do not simply ignore it as a temper tantrum, and rather step ahead to talk to your child about it.

Common reasons that might trigger anxiety among children

Even though the reasons and sources of such fear and worries triggering anxiety can be numerous, here are some of the most common reasons that the experts have pinpointed to be responsible for robbing the children of their usual glee and starry smiles.

• Medical reasons: Sometimes, the tendency to feel worried or anxious gets passed down from the parents to children genetically. If anxiety issues run in your family, taking a specialist’s opinion would be ideal.
• Social influence: Anxiety in kids can sometimes emerge out of critical remarks received from society regarding the child’s behavior, way of thinking, body gestures, and more.
• Loss of a dear one: If a pet or family member dear to the child expires, the sudden demise can cause anxiety in the tender mind of the child out of the feeling of despair.
• Restrictive home atmosphere: When children face too much restriction and remain forbidden to be their unique selves, anxiety creeps in. The sense of freedom is a natural feeling that rules children’s minds. If they experience a hostile or unfriendly atmosphere at home or anywhere else, they might startto feel anxious.

How to deal with childhood anxiety?

Regardless of why your child is experiencing anxiety, it might impact the little one gravely. The longer this state of mind will prevail, the more harm it will do to your child’s tender mind. Once you trace the early signs of anxiety in your kids, do not delay the redemption.

• Talk to the kid without asking any leading questions. Barring queries like “Are you afraid of the upcoming science fair?” or “Did you score low in your math test?” opt for digging questions like, “How do you feel about the upcoming science fair?”This will encourage the kid to say how he/she really feels and offer you an opportunity to comprehend what is bothering your child.
• Indulge in a friendly parley with your little ones without letting them realize that you are trying to find the source of anxiety. If they recognize your intention, they might go deeper into the dungeons of anxiety. Hence, be patient and allow the kids to speak about their worries spontaneously.
• Appreciate your kid when he/she speaks of the worries. Tell them that you respect the way they have handled the fears and uncertainties. But at the same time, help them face their fear and get over withit, once and for all.

At JP International School, regarded as one of the Best International School in Noida, we firmly believe that our behavior is the net result of the experiences we go through regularly. Especially when it comes to kids, their behavior remains the summation of how they get treated or how they perceive the surroundings. In our years of experience in mentoring and guiding children, we have seen that a little support and encouragement can bring the little ones out of the darkness of anxiety effortlessly. As such, if parents can lend their support and stand firm with the kids, no little bud will ever have to go through the darkness of anxiety.