Anxiety is a feeling that can be felt at any stage of life. Since the pandemic there has been an increase in the number of children who experience anxiety and/or depression. Occassional anxiety is nothing to worry about, we have all experienced anxiety in our day to day lives. It is when those feelings interfere with our day to day lives that we need to seek help or learn techniques to cope with those overwhelming feelings when they occur.

How do we know if a child has anxiety?

Anxiety is when a person feels anxious, nervous or tense. According to Psychiatry.org, “generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. This ongoing worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness, feeling on edge or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or problems sleeping.”

Find the Source of the Anxiety and Treat It Correctly

To help ease anxiety in kids, finding the source of their worries is essential. This enables you to understand why they feel this way and how you can provide them with long-term solutions. 

For instance, if your child is struggling with a spectrum disorder and exhibiting specific behaviors, you can look into aba therapy. This approach helps address underlying issues and gives your child the support they need to manage their stress better. 

By taking the time to understand your kid’s worries, you may be able to resolve them at the root cause and help them lead a calmer life. 

Support at Home

Feeling supported at home is crucial. Kids need to feel that they can express their worries to their loved ones without judgement. Find time each day to check in with your child(ren) to see if they need extra support. In our home we talk about our day at the dinner table or at the breakfast table. I find when everyone is present and enjoying a meal together the best conversations are happening. It is nice to hear how everyone’s day is going and this gives everyone a chance to be heard whether it is something exciting they want to share or if there is something that is worrying them. A good family support system is so beneficial.

Tools for School

As a child I had a hard time focusing and staying on task for a long period of time. As I speak to more and more parents , I have realized that staying focused is something a lot of people have a hard time doing whether they are an adult or a child. Not being able to stay on task can casue anxiety and our friends at Bouncy Bands® have created numerous products that help ease anxiety and help improve focus at school or at home. “When students use BouncyBands, they are able to release their anxiety and maximize their learning potential by keeping them in the optimal learning zone, identified by the Yerkes-Dodson Law of psychological performance.” I wish these products existed when I was in school and thankfully Scott Ertl, a school counselor in North Carolina found a way to help kids boost their mental performance.

Finding the source of where anxiety is triggered is the key component in helping alleviate the anxiety and stress levels in children. We hope this article helps you find a way to help your child with their anxiety and make their day to day a little easier.