Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times.
But if your child's anxiety is starting to affect their wellbeing, they may need some help.
是什么让孩子们焦虑？
Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.
From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to haveseparation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.
学龄前儿童发展特定的恐惧或恐惧症也很常见。幼儿期的常见恐惧包括动物，昆虫，暴风雨，高度，水，血液和黑暗。这些恐惧通常会逐渐消失。
There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.
When is anxiety a problem for children?
Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.
If you go into any school at exam time, all the children will be anxious, but some may be so anxious that they don't manage to get to school that morning.
Severe anxiety like this can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, affecting theirself-esteemand confidence. They may become withdrawn and go to great lengths to avoid things or situations that make them feel anxious.
What are the signs of anxiety in children?
当幼儿感到焦虑时，他们不能总是理解或表达自己的感受。您可能会注意到他们：
- become irritable, tearful or clingy
- have difficulty sleeping
- wake in the night
- 开始wetting the bed
- have bad dreams
In older children you may notice that they:
- 缺乏自信去尝试新事物或似乎无法面对简单的日常挑战
- 发现很难集中
- 睡觉或进食问题
- have angry outbursts
- have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen
- 开始avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school
Find out more about the symptoms of anxiety on our page aboutanxiety disorders in children.
Why is my child anxious?
Some children are more likely to have worries and anxiety than others.
Children often find change difficult and may become anxious following a house move or when starting a new school.
Children who have had a distressing or traumatic experience, such as a car accident or house fire, may suffer from anxiety afterwards.
Family arguments and conflict can also make children feel insecure and anxious.
Teenagers are more likely to suffer with social anxiety than other age groups, avoiding social gatherings or making excuses to get out of them.
Find out more about社交焦虑.
How to help an anxious child
If a child is experiencing anxiety, there are things that parents and carers can do to help.
First and foremost, it's important to talk to your child about their anxiety or worries. Reassure them and show them you understand how they feel.
如果您的孩子足够大，它可能有助于解释什么是焦虑及其对我们身体的身体影响。将焦虑描述为像波浪那样累积然后再次消灭的波浪可能会有所帮助。
As well as talking to your child about their worries and anxiety, it's important to help them find solutions.
例如，如果您的孩子担心过夜，那么自然要告诉他们不要去。但是，这可能意味着您的孩子觉得他们的焦虑会阻止他们做事。
It's better to recognise their anxiety and suggest solutions to help them, so they can go to the sleepover with a plan in place.
Other ways to ease anxiety in children
- teach your child to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves
- encourage your child to manage their anxiety and ask for help when they need it
- children of all ages find routines reassuring, so try to stick to regular daily routines where possible
- 如果您的孩子因痛苦的事件而着急，例如bereavementor separation, look for books or films that will help them to understand their feelings
- if you know a change, such as a house move, is coming up, prepare your child by talking to them about what is going to happen and why
- 尽量不要变得过度保护或焦虑
- practice simple relaxation techniques with your child, such as taking 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3. You'll find more guidance for helping children with anxiety on theYoung Minds website
- distraction can be helpful for young children. For example, if they are anxious about going to nursery, play games on the way there, such as seeing who can spot the most red cars
- turn an empty tissue box into a "worry" box. Get your child to write about or draw their worries and "post" them into the box. Then you can sort through the box together at the end of the day or week
我们什么时候应该得到帮助？
如果您的孩子的焦虑很严重，坚持不懈并干扰了他们的日常生活，那么获得一些帮助是一个好主意。
参观GP是一个不错的起点。如果您的孩子的焦虑会影响他们的学校生活，那么最好与他们的学校交谈。
Parents and carers can get help and advice about children's mental health from Young Minds' free parent helpline on0808 802 5544, from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.
在我们的页面上了解有关治疗的更多信息anxiety disorders in children.