Many children deal with different types of anxiety.  These fears and phobias can be so real and intense that they can immobilize the child.

In part one we will look at the different kinds of anxieties, and what some of there symptoms are.  Part two will discuss ways that we can help our children deal with these disorders.

I know this list does not cover ever know type of anxiety disorder.  It does however touch on seven of the biggest.

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder - The child experiences an unrealistic worry about almost anything and everything they encounter. The Children’s Hospital Boston explained it as “Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined as chronic, excessive worry and fear that seems to have no real cause. Children or adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder often worry a lot about things such as future events, past behaviors, social acceptance, family matters, their personal abilities, and/or school performance.”
2. Separation Anxiety - This is typically found in younger children.  They are unwilling or very apprehensive to be separated from significant people in their lives such as parents, grand parents, an older brother/ sister.  These children can become very clingy.  They may also experience things like depression or being sad.
3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - After being part of or witnessing a traumatic event such as sexual abuse, violence or physical abuse, natural disasters like earthquake or hurricane, the child may experience extreme feelings of fear and helplessness.  These feeling are re-occurring and can come in the form of thoughts, images, and nightmares.
4. Panic Disorders - This is when a child is continually experiencing recurring panic attacks.  These panic attacks come on unexpectedly and are defined as sudden episodes of intense fear and/or discomfort.  Symptoms may include rapid heart beat, sweating, shortness of breath, a feeling of choking, feelings of lightheadedness or being dizzy, and nausea.
5. Phobias - Child phobias are intense and ongoing fears of certain situations and things.  For instance a fear of spiders, thunder and lightning, fear of water or drowning.  These intense feeling of fear and dread may seem unreasonable to an onlooker, but to the child experiencing the phobia, they are very real.
6. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Is when a child will repeat the same behaviours without being able to control the urge to do so (compulsion).  Or think  the same thoughts or images even though these thoughts are unwanted, and they try not too (obsession).  An example would be checking to make sure the door is locked at night, every night many times over and then some times even getting up again to check. 
7. Social Anxiety Disorders - This is an intense fear of coming into contact with certain people or groups of people.  It may be certain social interaction and settings that cause these fears.  They may try to avoid the situation all together as much as possible.

Even though these fears don’t seem realistic to parents, teachers, friends or anyone, to that child they are very real.  These anxieties can be crippling because they are so intense for the child.

In part 2, we will go further into what can be done to help the child cope with their anxieties and try to function on a day to day basis.   

[tags]childhood disorders, anxiety, phobias, child anxiety, OCD, panic attack, panic disorder, general anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, child trauma, child anxiety disorder[/tags]

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