Children need all the support they can get. Offer them love, care and attention to avoid them from falling victim to anxiety disorder. Get him or her talking. Silence must be broken to be able to get into the mind of the child.
Treatment options for anxiety disorders are countless. Anxiety disorder sufferers are given choices of opting for treatment using therapy, the usage of medication, alternative natural treatment and self-help guides. There is no one definite and specific treatment for anxiety disorder as many overlaps each other in symptoms. Tailoring treatment to symptoms can consist one or combination of available techniques widely used for anxiety disorder sufferers.
Therapies For Anxiety Disorder
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a series of therapy to encourage children and teenagers to talk about their fear, open up their thoughts and find a basis to control them. Noticeable changes in children and teenagers’ behavior have been detected after undergoing this therapy. It is a good one-to-one treatment in managing their anxiety. It aims to curb anxiety while still remaining in everyday living condition that is familiar to the sufferer. This treatment consist of children age seven and above for obvious reason. Medication might be too early to be introduced and parents usually opt for non-medicine treatment first. CBT has shown favorable results in treating anxiety disorders among children. Encouragement from parents is key for this sort of therapy. It helps the child can identify that this is concern for their well and usually perform positively towards the therapy. There are also many Behavioral Therapies to choose from to manage their anxiety. Identify the suitable one and embark on it.
Psychoanalytic Therapy is another therapy parents can opt for their children. It is longer in duration but sometimes necessary depending on the child’s situation and personality. In Psychoanalytic therapy, a lot of talking is involved. With that, the medical professional helping the child can focus on the root of the problem by allowing them to talk about it. Through the years, this remedy has gotten children to manage their anxiety better.
Children and adolescents are also encouraged to self-manage their anxiety. This remedy is often passed-over, as it is perceived not helpful enough or not effective enough. It is quite the contrary actually. This includes practical means of looking at their fear in a different light. A medical specialist treating children’s anxiety disorders can best offer the option in doing this. Frustration can also set in if the child does not cooperate. If steady and gradual but positive changes are expected, this is the therapy for your child.
Phobia is the most treatable form of anxiety disorder. This is usually done with a well known treatment called the Gestalt Therapy is also used to help anxiety sufferers face their fears head on. By putting the person in the situation they fear most, he or she is facing the fear and in time will overcome that fear. Other therapy options available include Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and the Short-Term Dynamic Therapy (STDT).
Medication
Usage of medication to treat anxiety disorder in children and teenagers has invited endless debates. Is it really necessary? It becomes necessary when the disorder is severe and every effort exhausted and failed. When the child stop responding to therapy and condition has not improved, medication is also introduced at this point
Drugs such as Serotonin-Specific Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) is proven to lessen anxiety disorders in children and adults alike. Due to its side effects, you might want to proceed with caution. Take your time before deciding and consult necessary medical personnel who are familiar with all possible side effects of taking this medication.
Conditions such as depression, insomnia, personality disorder and other anxiety disorders are most commonly treated by a series of drugs called the Serotonin-specific Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRIs). It has been proven effective in treating panic disorders but not without side effects. In some children it worsen the depression that could lead to death by suicide. Monitoring the child after the drug has been prescribed is an absolute must to observe any adverse reaction to the body system. The use of another anti-anxiety drug called fluvoxamine is also extensive. The side effects were minimal and produced better results compared to SSRIs. For short-term treatment, Benzodiazepines is used to manage a child who is afraid of flying in an airplane.
Other Forms Of Help Available
When a child has been confirmed of suffering from anxiety disorder, parents, teachers and caregivers play pivotal roles in helping them deal with it. A trip to a doctor or psychologist can be traumatic for a child as they can sense something is wrong with them. Assure them that it is perfectly fine to feel uncomfortable initially. By taking the first step talking about it to someone (even if it is not the parents themselves), a child is heard. Listen well and read in between the lines. Most of the time therapy involving an outsider, such as child psychologist works best with both children and teenage sufferers. Give them the attention they need to cope and they will cooperate accordingly. Therapy for anxiety disorders is often combined with medication depending how serious the condition is. Due attention must be given as it can halt a child’s mental growth. It can also cause them to perform poorly in school, possess low self-confidence and become suicidal.
A fair amount of research will be involved in finding a suitable medical establishment that can help your child. Recommendations should first come from trusted family members or friends. Pediatricians will also know the right child psychologist have your child examine further. Early detection is vital for proper treatment to be administered.