Why Are Many Kids Anxious and How Can Parents Help?
On May 31st we hosted a webinar on how parental behaviors affect a child's anxiety.
There is growing evidence that modifying parental behavior can be as effective in alleviating anxiety symptoms as treating the child directly.
The clinicians, including Dr. Eli Lebowitz, who developed this treatment method, shared parental strategies that can alleviate a child's anxiety as well as guidance on when to seek additional help.
Watch the recording below to learn:
What is anxiety and why it’s not the same as normal childhood fears
How your behavior as a parent can either alleviate your child’s anxiety or make it worse
Proven strategies to help anxious children and adolescents of all ages
When and how to get more help
FAQs From Parents and Caregivers
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These diagnoses have a high level of comorbidity. There are very few cases of ASD without some form of anxiety present.
The good news: studies have shown positive results for CBT interventions in patients with this dual diagnosis.
Parents should support their children with a combination of acceptance and confidence. It can be as simple as saying, “I get it, this is really hard for you, and I know you can handle it.”
Parents of anxious children often change their behaviors to accommodate their children’s anxiety. It could present as answering an endless stream of reassuring questions or avoiding nights out because their children will worry. Regardless of intent, attempts to shield children from anxiety can amplify their symptoms in the long run.
Start identifying and reducing these accommodating behaviors. Children may respond negatively at first, so it’s crucial to start small, be supportive, and talk openly about your intentions. When parents are able to make these changes, children do get better.
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It always starts with a diagnosis. Without a diagnosis, you don’t have treatment.
Following a diagnosis of anxiety, the first line of defense is evidence-based psychosocial interventions. If children are unresponsive to these cognitive treatments after four weeks, it’s typically time for parents to reach out to a child and adolescent psychiatrist.
SSRIs are an amazingly effective treatment for anxiety. Critically, they are not “feel-good” medicines, meaning they aren’t going to teach your child to use drugs or increase their risk for substance abuse. If anything, they may reduce the likelihood of children engaging in harmful self-soothing behaviors like consuming marijuana or alcohol.
If children respond well to medication, a typical treatment course will last about one year.
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The “building block” behaviors of a future anxiety disorder often manifest at a very early age.
Parents may notice their children avoiding group social interactions or find that they are exceptionally clingy. Children prone to anger, irritability, and temper tantrums are also more likely to develop an anxiety disorder in the future.
Parents can support their children by teaching them to recognize and label these emotions. When you experience these difficult feelings yourself, it’s best to be open with your child and model positive coping skills. Just as you want to build up the physical immune system, teaching children it’s ok to be angry or upset can help build their emotional immune system.
More help for families
Anxiety Treatment: Available in NY and NJ
Online therapy by clinicians specializing in treating anxiety in children of all ages. Psychiatry is available if needed. Our clinicians will treat your child and coach you.. book a free consultation to get started.
Anxiety Parent Coaching: Available WORLDWIDE
A course covering some of the techniques mentioned in the webinar. Designed for families not yet ready to start treatment or as a supplement to treatment. Learn more and start your course today.
SPACE TREATMENT FROM DR. ELI LEBOWITZ
The parent centric treatment called SPACE is an evidence-based treatment for anxiety that’s been proven to be as effective as CBT treatment of children. More information is available at www.spacetreatment.net
