Anxiety in Children at an All Time High

The number of calls made regarding anxiety in children is at an all time high according to recent figures.

Figures from the NSPCC’s Childline service suggest calls from anxious children have risen rapidly. Childline deals with calls from distressed children. However, they answered 11,706 calls dealing with anxiety in children in 2015-16. When compared to the figure of 8,642 the previous year, it’s a stark difference. It’s an increase of 35%.

The charity has also highlighted that the issue of anxiety in children is growing. With 6,500 calls answered between April and September, where anxiety is the main reason for the call, that’s an average of over 1,000 calls per month. Children as young as eight have contacted Childline about feelings of anxiety. Reasons range from personal or home issues to fears over Brexit.

If you feel like you are recognising symptoms of anxiety in children you can try simple ways to help them.

Be positive.

Don’t react negatively to a child who is expressing signs of anxiety. This can only add to their feelings. Instead surround them with positivity! The more that you are able to focus on your child’s positive attributes and the good aspects of a situation, the more that it will remind your child to focus on the positives.

Have fun with them.

Working full time and raising a child can be hard. A lot of times these days it’s easy to let your child sit and watch TV while you catch up with the one million other things you have to do that day. However, this isn’t stimulating enough for the mind. Find time to play with and read to your child. This will keep them active and it will give you time to relax too.

Reward bravery.

This is different to bribery. Should you be seeing signs of dental anxiety in you child you should remain positive! Anxiety in children when going to doctors or dental appointments is common and it can be hard not to smother them with love by trying to let them know it’s alright. However, by you worrying about them, it’ll look like you’re also worried about the impending dentist appointment. Instead help them face their fears and reward them after they’ve done it! You can also try booking in with clinics that specialise in dental anxiety, like Hannigan Dental Care in Glasgow.

Encourage them to express their feelings.

If a child tells you that they’re worried or scared, don’t brush it off and tell them it’s fine or not to worry. Allow them to express why they’re feeling anxious. Discuss their emotions with them and understand why they’re feeling that way.

Don’t give up!

If anxiety in children is more than just some worries and fears, don’t let it get the best of you. Anxiety and stress can be a chronic struggle and often the source of a child’s anxiety changes over time so it can feel as though you are always putting out fires. Don’t be nervous about having to invest in a therapist, it could be the answer to your child learning how to cope in stressful and anxiety inducing situations.

It’s clear than anxiety in children is become more of as issue, so we’d like a discussion. Have you had experience with an anxious child? What steps did you take to help them?

What are your thoughts on more and more children suffering from anxiety?