4 Ways to Deal with Anxiety in Children

Anxiety can be referred to as the body’s natural way of responding to stress. According to reports, anxiety issues are prevalent in both children and adolescents, with a considerable percentage of school-going kids experiencing symptoms associated with the same. An even larger percentage of children undergo stress situations that remain unqualified as an anxiety disorder. There are various types of anxieties that children undergo such as separation anxiety, social anxiety along with other phobias. Anxiety can root among children due to various factors including:

·         Biological Factors (genes and brain wiring)

·         Psychological Factors (temperament and coping strategies)

·         Environmental Factors (anxious parenting, troubled childhood)

Anxiety can also arise as a side-effect of medications in children. Thus, parents should only provide their children medicines prescribed by medical experts and manufactured by the trusted pharma companies in India.

Some of the best ways to deal anxiety in children include:  

1.       Indulge in Relaxing Activities

Unlike adults who can cope with anxiety issues self-sufficiently, children need assistance and time to recover. Parents should encourage their anxious child to get engaged in relaxing activities like sports, painting or other fun games. They should also make sure that these activities should be conducted purely for fun and not in any competitive spirit. 

2.       Proper Sleep, Nourishment and Exercise 

Indulging a child into a healthy routine keeps their mind and body peaceful. It strengthens the same by making them strong enough to cope up with the ups and downs of life. When the child suffers from anxiety, parents need to assure that he/she gets adequate amount of sleep and nourishment. Parents should include fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains in their child’s diet to keep their energy levels optimum. Besides a proper diet, parents should also make their lads habitual to an exercising routine.

3.       Provide Encouragement

Parents should encourage their children to express and identify their anxiety. Children start avoiding things when they get anxious as they develop a fear of situations and related outcomes. In such a situation, parents should motivate their children to face difficulties and make them realize that avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations does no good to their condition. When the child deals with difficult situations self-sufficiently, it boosts his/her confidence leading to reduction of anxiety naturally.

4.       Become a Role Model

Children always look up to their parents in difficult situations and react accordingly. If parents indulge in situation avoidance, it is a likely that the child will also learn the same. Thus, it is important for parents to emerge as their child’s role models and make them learn the art of self-care, optimism and positivity.

Parents should focus on making their child strong enough to deal with anxious situations. Since they are the most influential figures in a child’s life, they should take proper care while dealing with theirs as well as their child’s anxiety.