How anxiety presents
- Tummy aches and headaches, especially on school mornings.
- Reassurance-seeking and endless 'what if' questions.
- Avoidance - of school, sleepovers, speaking up, or being alone.
- Irritability, meltdowns and refusal that look like defiance.
- Difficulty falling asleep because of racing thoughts.
What helps at home
Anxiety shrinks when a child discovers that the feared thing is survivable. The instinct to remove the source of distress gives immediate relief but teaches avoidance. Instead, name the feeling, express confidence in your child, and support gradual steps towards the thing they are avoiding.
- Validate the feeling, not the prediction: 'I can see this feels scary, and I know you can do it.'
- Break feared situations into a ladder of small, achievable steps.
- Resist answering the same reassurance question repeatedly - answer once, then support coping.
- Protect sleep, activity and time away from screens.
Treatment
Cognitive behavioural therapy, with graded exposure, is the first-line evidence-based treatment for childhood anxiety and works well. Medication is considered only for more severe or persistent presentations, alongside therapy and with careful monitoring. Anxiety frequently coexists with autism and ADHD, and adjusting the approach to the child's neurotype matters a great deal.
This article is general information and does not replace personal medical advice. To discuss your child, call 01926 624 235 or send us an enquiry.