Anxiety in Children: What is It and What Can You Do About It?

By Nihit Kumar, M.D.

Anxiety is an essential part of children’s normal development but if it’s excessive, interfering with quality of life, seek help a health professional.

Separation anxiety is one of many forms of childhood anxiety (Photo source iStock)

This article will focus on the issue of anxiety in children. And, I will try to answer the questions: what is it? And what can you do about it? But first, let me share an observation from my own family.

My 15-month old daughter is working her way through her fear of “belue.” That’s baby-talk for a half-filled white balloon that has been floating around my house for a while. It’s apparently the squishy-ness that bothers her. So, she skirts around it exhibiting intense curiosity mixed in with fear. Last week, she poked it with her finger and ran away. A few days later she kicked it and watched it roll.

As a child psychiatrist, I’ve watched with fascination how her fear and her ability to overcome it is such an integral part of her normal development.

What is the difference between fear and anxiety?

So, how is anxiety different from fear? Fear is usually an immediate intense emotional reaction to a more imminent real or perceived danger (like “belue”). Anxiety, on the other hand, is more about anticipating a threat…