Childhood Anxiety: How Do Children Express & Deal With It?

It may come as a surprise to some that childhood anxiety and dealing with anxiety are all part and parcel of a child’s early development. Even as early as infancy, children face anxiety inducing situations that more often than not become the catalyst for certain behaviors in children like nail biting or bed wetting. Common occurrences like visiting the dentist, meeting a new person or seeing a clown at a fair can sometimes reduce a child to tears because of worry and fear. Some of these fears are so intense that even into adulthood, it remains.

Most kids can get over the initial childhood anxiety of a certain situation like visiting the dentist by repeated exposure (i.e., regular trips to the same dentist to create a sense of familiarity between the child and the dentist) or distractions while undergoing treatment like putting on their favorite TV show, offering toys or a promise of a treat after. Meeting a stranger can feel very worrisome for a child because children crave security and familiarity and meeting someone for the first time can be an unpleasant experience for a child who has not been exposed to other adults except their parents so exposing them to people at a young age is a good idea. Start with small groups and progress to larger crowds as they get older.

Clowns are another story. Children afraid of clowns have possibly at one point in their life, experienced some kind of trauma involving a clown or entertainer whether it be a mild shock at a circus or something more serious like abuse. In this day and age where predators are lurking in unexpected places, it is good that children are wary of strangers whether they be a clown or not.

Encouraging your child to express their feelings by regularly having conversations with them about things that they fear or worry about can help reduce anxiety immensely. Creating routines is another technique that professionals often suggest parents use to help a child overcome their anxiety. A regular routine will give them a sense of comfort and consistency and help them cope with the anxious feelings creeping in from time to time. Children are malleable creatures, and you will find that given the right amount of support and encouragement, these anxiety inducing fears and worries can be overcome in no time.