Expert Tips from a Child Psychiatrist
As parents, we often find ourselves at a loss when our children struggle with anxiety. We want to help, but it can be challenging to get them to open up about their experiences and feelings. The key to supporting your anxious child lies in asking the right questions and creating a safe, non-judgmental space for them to express themselves. In this blog post, we'll explore a variety of questions you can use to encourage your child to talk about their anxiety, as well as strategies for dealing with common roadblocks like the silent treatment or "I don't know" responses.
Understanding the Importance of Communication
Before we get into specific questions, let’s get a better understanding of why open communication about anxiety is so important. We don’t want to simply ignore it but at the same time we don’t need to ‘pander to it’ - ideally, we want our children to feel like we ‘get it’ but we also want them to build skills to help them face up to...
Ok. It's 2 AM, and you're jolted awake by a blood-curdling scream. Your heart races as you dash to your child's room, expecting to find a burglar or perhaps a particularly menacing spider. Instead, you're greeted by your six-year-old, trembling under the covers, insisting there's a scary thing in the wardrobe. Is this normal childhood fear, or should you ring the local child psychologist at this ungodly hour?
Well, according to a recent survey by the UK's National Health Service, approximately 7% of children aged 5-19 have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. That's roughly two children in every primary school classroom grappling with more than just typical childhood worries.
But how do you distinguish between something that's a normal childhood worry and something more sinister?
We'll examine this in parts...
The Nature of Childhood Fears
Before we start labelling every under-the-bed monster as a sign of impending doom, let's take a moment to...
Picture this: You’re embarking on a family journey, the road stretching endlessly before you, treats within arm’s reach, and your beloved melodies filling the car. Suddenly, the peaceful ambiance is disrupted by a commotion from the backseat. Your child, who is on the autism spectrum, is grappling with the sensory bombardment of the journey. Amid the turmoil, you find yourself laughing at the paradox of your carefully orchestrated “calm” vacation morphing into a scene straight out of a farcical comedy.
Preparation is paramount. As the saying goes, fortune favors the prepared. Yet, no amount of preparation can completely eliminate discomfort. Nevertheless, you are capable, and you can create beautiful, meaningful memories with your children in the great outdoors.
Addressing sensory challenges during travel is crucial, as sensory overload is a common obstacle for children with autism.
There are several books available on Amazon that...
As a child and forensic psychiatrist, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of anxiety on our tamariki. Childhood anxiety isn’t some distant concept—it’s a real experience that affects millions of our kids (and even adults). It’s like a rising tide, threatening to engulf our whānau. From separation anxiety to those all-encompassing worries, these emotions can hold our little ones hostage.
Anxiety isn’t just a fancy word; it’s a lived reality for our tamariki. Recent studies show that approximately 1 in 8 children grapple with anxiety-related challenges. These feelings might show up as persistent worry, fear of specific situations, or even physical symptoms like puku aches and headaches. As parents, recognizing these signs early is our superpower.
Whānau like you are the kaitiaki of their child’s emotional landscape. Our responses and actions matter—they significantly shape how our kids perceive and...
