Child with Anxiety

[askmom]

What factors or signs should be present to let you know when you should seek help for your childs anxiety?  My daughter is five and sometimes her anxiety causes me to be concerned.  She is a thoughtful, intelligent and sensitive child. While she is on the shy side she seems socially well adjusted, it is easier for her to make friends in smaller groups but she does have friends that she has attachments to.  

In most ways she seems the same as her peer group but sometimes her anxiety seems to get in the way of her enjoying certain outings.  We don't have to alter our daily lives in any way to deal with her anxiety but certain places like the aquarium or kids musuems have intimated her but then other outings she was completely comfortable.  I am at a loss to pin point exactly why some places are fine and others are not but I suspect noise level, light level and activity level around her might feed into it.  Movies scare her, she is highly resistant to watching movies although she is fine with regular 1/2 hour tv shows.  We had to leave a movie theatre last year the one and only time we tried to go see a movie and she insisted we leave.  She was afraid to watch movies prior to trying to see one at a movie theatre.  

I try to give her as much encouragement as possible.  I tell her it is okay to be afraid but there are times when we have to face our fears and when I insist she do something she is scared of we do it together.  

Lately she has been complaining of stomach aches.  Sometimes it is an attempt to get out of doing things or eating which I think is typical of her age.  Twice yesterday she sat out in class because of a stomach ache.  Once in gym and the other at a listening station in school.  While it is possible that her stomach was upset I wonder if it is anxiety.  While I think she is doing well,thriving and happy I want to make sure that I am not overlooking any more serious issues or not getting her help that would make her life easier.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

A modest degree of anxiety is certainly not a problem, and you should seek help if the anxiety is interfering with your daughter's mastery of experiences that are normal for her age. It does not sound like the anxiety is a major impediment to her. The behavior e: movies can be ignored - it is not at all important. If you suspect that sensitivity to noise, movement, etc. is a problem, arrange for an Occupational Therapy Evaluation. It may be that she does display some Sensory Integration Disorder. Monitor the behavior at school. It may be that her GI disconfort is a manifestation of anxiety. Ask her teacher about it. And, it goes without saying, be sure she is OK medically and that there is no reason to think that her GI distress has a medical origin.

[jdtm]

It does appear your child is suffering from anxiety.  Your question - when to seek help for your child's anxiety - when the anxiety is interfering in her life.  Only you can answer that question.

[chip77]

I have a 6 yr old son who has always suffered with anxiety.  Things that other children find 'exciting' eg school fair, movies, birthday parties, going to the football, really cause a lot of anxiety in my son, even though, sometimes I know he wants to do these things.  We went to the zoo last year and he was petrified, screaming etc.  I know how hard it is, I find it quite socially isolating as alot of people assume he's just being naughty.
I find the best thing to do is to give hime plenty of notice when we're doing new things and telling him what to expect really helps.  I know at times unexpected things happen, that's when it gets tricky.  My son is EXTREMELY sensitive, caring and I just have to remind myself that just because he doesn't want to do things that I think he should enjoy that's ok.  
When my son was about 3 or 4 we had him assessed for asperger's but he was fine. I was glad to have that though just to make sure.  He doesn't look at people much because he is so shy and it takes him a while to warm up to people, but once he does he's ok.
My advice would be to trust your gut instinct. If things aren't sitting well with you, I would seek help just for peace of mind