A majority of parents want the best for their children. Thus, you will try your best to ensure that you are providing for them financially, physically and mentally. And when your child is ill, your first instinct will be rushing them to the hospital so that they can receive the medical intervention that they need to feel better. However, not all illnesses manifest with physical symptoms. Those that cannot be outrightly diagnosed with a hurting tummy or a fever are what you need to be on the lookout for, as your child may not know how to articulate what they are feeling. One such disorder is anxiety. Although anxiety is typically associated with adults, children can suffer from anxiety too, more so if massive changes or upheavals have recently occurred in their life. Read on for a couple of symptoms so that you can discern if your child could potentially require anxiety counselling services.
Acute homesickness
Children, naturally, will miss their parents when they are away, particularly if you are a present parent that has a healthy relationship with your child. Nevertheless, their feelings of not wanting to be away from you should not interfere with their day-to-day schedule such as going to school. When your child starts to demonstrate acute separation anxiety beyond any obvious reason, you should be aware of the possibility that they may need anxiety counselling. Once your child's behaviour dramatically changes and is now characterised by a disinterest in things they like, tears with every goodbye and other unusual occurrences, you should consider seeing a counsellor.
Unreasonable fear
Another sign that your child could be suffering from anxiety is when they suddenly develop irrational fears that they never had before. This fear could be so deep-rooted that it results in a meltdown, hyperventilation, loss of breath and more. In some cases, fear can be triggered by something. For example, perhaps your child was never scared of dogs or has never had a bad experience before but suddenly becomes debilitated anytime a dog is in the vicinity. On the other hand, your child could suddenly become reclusive and not want to go outside due to an irrational fear of getting hurt. If you notice these symptoms, you should see a therapist who can provide your child with cognitive behavioural therapy to establish where these fears stem from. If they come from undiagnosed anxiety, your child will receive the right prescription treatment to manage the uneasiness.