How Much Anxiety Is Found in Children?

Most experts in childhood anxiety disorder believe that about 10% of all children and teenagers will suffer from at least one anxiety disorder at any given time. In general terms, separation anxiety and specific phobias are more commonly diagnosed in children, whereas panic disorder and social phobia (social anxiety disorder) show up more commonly in the teenage years. It is also known that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms can start in childhood, sometimes quite early.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) include unwanted, disturbing thoughts that cause overwhelming anxiety (obsessions) and repetitive, ritualized behaviours performed to relieve the anxiety (compulsions). It is equally prevalent among girls and boys and can occur as early as age 6 years.

Symptoms:

• washing,
• checking,
• ordering rituals,

• disturbing, unwanted thoughts.

Shyness & Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is marked by persistent fear of social or performance situations in which embarrassment may occur. It is more common in girls, and may be a lifelong problem with fluctuating intensity. Social anxiety in childhood or teen age years can lead to other anxiety problems later on in life.

Symptoms in younger children:

• tantrums,
• freezing,
• blushing, and

• timidness to the point that they cannot speak.

Symptoms in older children:

• hypersensitivity to criticism,
• fear of evaluation by others such as test taking,
• poor social skills,

• physical symptoms such as palpitations, tremors, sweating, diarrhoea.

Social anxiety disorder also occurs in the mid-teens.

Panic Disorder

People often feel that they are going to die because they feel so sick. If they have Panic Disorder these symptoms are not just a once off occurence and the person often worries about having another attack. Girls are twice as likely to develop this disorder as boys. Panic disorder occurs from teens to early adulthood, with half of patients experiencing their first panic attack before age 24.

Symptoms of a panic attack:

• dizziness,
• diarrhoea,
• numbness,
• suffocating feeling,
• chest pain,

• irregular heartbeat.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

People with Generalised anxiety disorder experience excessive worry about issues or events, such as performance in school, sports, punctuality, and natural disasters. The worry is constant but fluctuates in intensity, and often worsens with stress. Children as young as 8 years old can suffer from GAD.

Symptoms:

• overly conforming,
• perfectionist,

• unsure of self.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by intense fear, helplessness, or horror following exposure to extreme trauma, such as actual or threatened death or sexually inappropriate behavior. PTSD can occur at any age. Symptoms start within 3 months or possibly years after the event.

Symptoms:

• disorganized or agitated behaviour,
• nightmares,
• avoidance of things that are similar to the traumatic event,
• emotional numbing,
• heightened emotional reactions,

• repetitive play such as, re-enacting a car crash with toys.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety disorder develops when young children, usually about 2 or 3 years old, become excessively anxiety about being away from home and/or their parents or caregivers. It is more common in girls, in children from close-knit families, and may develop after a major event, such as death or illness in the family or a physical or sexual assault.

Symptoms:

• excessive clinging and fear of separation,
• difficulty falling asleep,

• when absent, fears parent or loved one will suffer illness or accident.

Children with separation anxiety disorder can also suffer from physical symptoms such as

• stomachache,
• headache,
• vomiting,
• palpitations, and

• dizziness.

Specific Phobia

Phobias are fears of certain situations or things. Animals, heights, enclosed spaces, and blood or injections are common phobias. Phobias are more common in girls and often run in families. People with specific phobias often have other anxiety disorders as well. Phobias occur as early as age 2 years. They may reccur in the mid-20s.

Symptoms:

• crying,
• tantrums,
• freezing,
• clinging.
  

John Hopkins Sch of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland