By Mohammed Adil Sethi, Content Team Academic
Introduction
Definition of Anxiety and Phobias
Anxiety is a form of mental health disorder that is commonly related to worry, nervousness, or fearfulness, that is intense enough to affect a person’s level of social functioning. Specific phobias are considered a kind of anxiety disorder, that is characterised by a solid and unreasonable fear of an object, place, or situation.
Importance of the Topic
Ensuring good knowledge of anxiety and phobias in children is vital, since these ailments can distort a child’s development process, academic progress, and social engagement. Both delayed development, and mental problems, can be avoided by the early identification and management of such symptoms to enhance the child’s functioning.
Figure 1: Anxiety and Phobias
Source: (Davis et al., 2019)
Different Forms of Anxiety and Phobia in Children
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
According to DSM IV criteria, children with GAD worry excessively and inappropriately about objects, people, and events. The topics of worry include school, friends, and their family (Davis et al., 2019). This disorder, when it occurs, will take place over a few months during the year.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It may be observed in children who show an abnormally high amount of distress concerning separation from caregivers, or separation from their home environment (Clefberg Liberman and Öst, 2017). It commonly affects children below five years of age, but may occur in school-age children.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxious children may suffer from social anxiety disorder, which is characterised by a fear of particular social or performance situations, and experiencing distress when in these situations (Davis et al., 2019). They may also worry that other people will stare or laugh at them.
Specific Phobias
These are extreme phobias or irrational fears, which are pegged on specific things or circumstances, like animals, or a certain height, or a fear of being vaccinated (Clefberg Liberman and Öst, 2017). Most of the time, anxiety will result in avoidance reactions.
Causes and Risk Factors
Genetic Factors
Research points out that if a child has been exposed to a family history of anxiety disorders, then there are bigger chances that the child, too, will be a victim (Boyd et al., 2019). These disorders are known to be closely associated with one’s genetics, because they determine the likelihood of being effected.
Environmental Factors
External factors, including any stressful event in the life of a child, may lead to a development of anxiety and phobic responses, ranging from the prospect of losing a parent to divorce, to exposure to violence, and so on (Blanco et al., 2020).
Developmental Factors
There is, also, an interaction of specific age-related factors that see children become prone to anxiety disorders (Boyd et al., 2019). For example, this could lead to young students developing separation anxiety, while older students may develop social anxiety.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Emotional Symptoms
The symptoms that parents might observe, in children with anxiety disorders, include cases of excessive worrying, fear, or nervousness (REICH et al., 2018). The child may look or behave like they are more stressed than usual, or even as if they are losing their temper quickly.
Physical Symptoms
Specifically, anxiety can include physical symptoms, such as head or stomach-ache, or as experiencing tightened body muscles. This may cause the child to visit the school nurse repeatedly, or involve a need to visit a general practitioner.
Behavioural Symptoms
The individual may exhibit certain behaviours, including refraining from situations like school, social events, or other activities (Heimberg et al., 2017). The child may also likely to show signs of poor concentration, and signs of being agitated.
Diagnostic Criteria
Categorised under anxiety disorders are anxiety and phobias, whereby medical professionals will diagnose a label through interviews, observation and questionnaires. They will evaluate the usual occurrence, length, and severity of the symptoms, to diagnose the presence of an anxiety disorder.
Impact on Daily Life
Academic Performance
Anxiety may result in the suppression of a child’s learning capacity. Anxiety can cause poor concentration which may lead to poor grades, at a period of time when the learner is least able to engage in activities (Wittchen and Beloch, 2018). Childhood anxiety may be a worry for parents. Play therapy is another beneficial strategy that may assist children, since it allows them to communicate fear reduction via play (Gillian et al., 2019).
Social Interactions
Anxiety may make it difficult for children to have, and sustain, relationships with other children. Symptoms, such as avoiding other students, may lead to loneliness, and in an extreme circumstance, they may remain isolated from other people.
Family Dynamics
Anxiety disorders can severely test relationships within the family. Alongside this, research has found that issues, such as pressure placed on the parents, and neglect of other siblings, may also be observed (Bowlby, 2021). One may need to fill in the requirements of the family, for one or another reason, to comprehend and react to the child’s state.
Treatment and Management
Psychological Therapies
CBT is helpful in the treatment of anxiety in children. Anxiety is a common childhood concern. CBT may assist them in noticing self-sabotaging thoughts. Other helpful interventions include play therapy, which can benefit younger children, since they can express their decline in fear through play (Gillian et al., 2019).
Lifestyle Change
Lifestyle changes should include maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. These changes are beneficial to overall mental and physical well-being.
Parental Support
Parents are the pivotal figures in the decision making process. Responding positively to the child, listening to what they say, and engaging in therapy will greatly help the child.
Case Studies or Examples
Real-life Examples
Emmanuela, a ten-year-old female child who has social anxiety, developed a phobia and was unable to speak in class. Emma’s parents took her to CBT sessions, and Emma was gradually able to get better at controlling her anxiety, and progressively become more perceptive to social situations.
Success Stories
An example includes a twelve-year-old boy named Jake, who was diagnosed with a specific phobia of dogs. Exposure therapy gradually made Jake confront his fear. The support provided was pivotal, as it would have been difficult for him to face the fear on his own (Elbert et al., 2022). He eventually became well-acquainted with dogs, and as time passed, he received a dog as a pet.
Conclusion
Summary of Key Points
Childhood anxiety and phobias are a rampant problem for many children, and young people, but it can be addressed. This paper identified the various types of these disorders, their causes and symptoms, which are essential factors to consider if an early assessment is required.
Call to Action
It is also necessary to discuss childhood anxieties and phobias, and remind people that in such cases, it may be necessary to see a specialist. Some children with disabilities may require the services of personal assistants, and early intervention may positively impact the learner, and their families, as well.
References
Blanco, C., Rubio, J., Wall, M., Wang, S., Jiu, C.J. and Kendler, K.S., (2020). Risk factors for anxiety disorders: common and specific effects in a national sample. Depression and anxiety, 31(9), pp.756-764.
Bowlby, J., (2021). Violence in the family as a disorder of the attachment and caregiving systems. American journal of psychoanalysis, 44(1), p.9.
Boyd, J.H., Rae, D.S., Thompson, J.W., Burns, B.J., Bourdon, K., Locke, B.Z. and Regier, D.A., (2019). Phobia: prevalence and risk factors. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 25, pp.314-323.
Clefberg Liberman, L. and Öst, L.G., (2017). The relation between fears and anxiety in children with specific phobia and parental fears and anxiety. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, pp.598-606.
Davis, T.E., Munson, M.S. and Tarcza, E.V., (2019). Anxiety disorders and phobias. Social behavior and skills in children, pp.219-243.
Elbert, T., Schauer, M. and Neuner, F., (2022). Narrative exposure therapy (NET): Reorganizing memories of traumatic stress, fear, and violence. In Evidence based treatments for trauma-related psychological disorders: A practical guide for clinicians (pp. 255-280). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Gillian, B., Anne, C., Mary, M., Peter, A. and Michael, G., (2019). Exposure and anxiety management in the treatment of social phobia. Journal of consulting and clinical Psychology, 52(4), p.642.
Heimberg, R.G., Holt, C.S., Schneier, F.R., Spitzer, R.L. and Liebowitz, M.R., (2017). The issue of subtypes in the diagnosis of social phobia. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 7(3), pp.249-269.
REICH, J., Noyes, R. and Yates, W., (2018). Anxiety symptoms distinguishing social phobia from panic and generalized anxiety disorders. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 176(8), pp.510-513.
Wittchen, H.U. and Beloch, E., (2018). The impact of social phobia on quality of life. International clinical psychopharmacology, 11, pp.15-23.
