If your child seems always on edge or has irrational fears or phobias, We can help. We offer effective diagnostic tools for conditions like social phobias, panic disorders, anxiety attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. We can recommend effective treatments to reduce your child’s anxiety symptoms, including behavioral therapies and medications. We create customized treatment plans with a goal of enhancing your child’s quality of life and improving their success at school and in social situations. Schedule an appointment online or by phone to find out how to help your anxious child.
What is an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is your body’s normal reaction to stress that alerts you to potentially dangerous situations. With an anxiety disorder, feelings of anxiety or nervousness become extreme, causing irrational fears and resulting in avoidance behaviors.
As a result, your child may act inappropriately in certain situations, avoiding people, places, and things that can trigger their symptoms.
What are common types of anxiety disorders?
There are a variety of anxiety disorders that can affect children and young adults. We have experience in multiple types of anxiety issues, including:
- Panic disorder
- Selective mutism
- General anxiety disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Social anxieties and phobias
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is also a condition relating to anxiety. OCD is a condition where your child has persistent thoughts or ideas that make them do things repeatedly, such as washing hands or turning lights on and off.
How is anxiety diagnosed?
Initially, We may recommend blood work and other medical tests to rule out underlying medical conditions that can trigger anxiety symptoms. We also review your child’s family history to identify family members that may also have anxiety issues.
During your child’s evaluation, We will discuss your child’s symptoms, including their frequency and severity. We may ask your child questions about their fears and worries to determine if their concerns are within normal limits.
If your child’s anxiety disorder is causing symptoms that interfere with school work or life at home, We may recommend one or more types of treatment.
What treatment options are available for anxiety disorders? For children and teenagers who have serious anxiety symptoms or phobias, We may first recommend talk therapies to help them find new ways to cope with running thoughts and irrational fears. Children can learn relaxation techniques and breathing exercises to lower their heart rate and lessen their fears when anxiety gets out of control.
In some cases, We may also recommend medications to help manage serious feelings of anxiety, depression, or panic. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can be very effective in the treatment of the disruptive symptoms of anxiety.