How to Treat Anxiety in Children

Children can experience anxiety from a very young age. Whether it’s first being parted from their mother, starting a new school, being bullied or suffering the effects of parental divorce. Anxiety can manifest itself in a number of physical problems including bedwetting, headaches, nightmares, dis­ruptive behaviour and skin problems. Although these can all be treated the root cause of the anxiety also needs to be looked at and treated.

What you can do

Try to ensure that your child feels they have a secure, stable home and loving parents, even – or particularly – when there may be marital discord. If your child suddenly develops unex­plained ailments, set aside time to sit and talk on a one-to-one basis to find any possible root to a problem that might seem totally unrelated. There are providers that offer an anxiety treatment to help normalize brainwaves and reduce stress. You can consult with an anxiety psychiatrist to see what the best course of action might be according to their expertise.

Treatment

Bach Flower Remedies

These work well as the Remedies are chosen as a result of the child’s emotional and mental health rather than for a specific problem. For an acute anxiety attack, the general Rescue Remedy is helpful. If the child is anxious about something specific, such as travelling or a test at school, Mimulus may help. If the child lacks confidence and worries about failing, Larch may be beneficial and Aspen may be given if the child has vague fears and forebodings that do not seem to have any definite cause.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy oils have wonderful therapeutic qualities. Two or three drops of Sandalwood, Ylang-ylang, Lavender or Geranium in the bath or on your child’s pillow may help to soothe (beware over-use of Ylang-ylang as this can be a stimulant). Massaging your child with oils will not only relax them but it will allow them time to forget any worries or let them out in the open, if they feel like talking. One study found that children suffering from anxiety and depression had reduced symptoms after being massaged for half an hour each day, and that they slept for longer periods each night.

Kinesiology

Kinesiologists believe that anxiety might not just he in the mind. It may be a physical problem that manifests as anxiety. It may be something the child is eating that is caus­ing the problem, or an emotional problem, leading to their energy levels becoming blocked. Applying kinesiology will help to find the body’s imbalances and working on one imbalance may be the key to detecting and treating others. Hypnotherapy The hypnotherapist will help the child to look at the times when they become anxious, for instance going to school, and to try and cut the connection between those times and the negative feelings of anxiety, while at the same time suggesting positive emotions.

Other therapies that may be beneficial: osteopathy, acupressure, massage, herbal medicine, homoeopathy, yoga.

1 Comment

  1. anxiety and depression are hard to treat if the patient has not been checked for years.~~”

Comments are closed