Describe How To Help Your Child Cope With Anxiety Research

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How to Help Your Child Cope with Anxiety

Anxiety is the feeling of nervousness or worry that your child might experience when faced with stressful event, like a test or a sports game. Anxiety can be accompanied by physical changes, like increases in heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. It is normal for children to worry about some challenges they face. However, anxiety that interferes with daily activities and relationships may indicate your child has an anxiety disorder.
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD HAS ANXIETY?

Anxiety can affect your child physically and psychologically. Your child may have the following physical symptoms:

Headaches

Upset stomach.

Pain in other parts of the body.

Your child's may also:

Do worse …show more content…

WHAT ARE SOME STEPS I CAN TAKE TO HELP MY CHILD COPE WITH ANXIETY?

To help your child cope with anxiety, try taking the following steps:

Help your child understand that it is normal to feel stressed or anxious sometimes. Let your child know that:

Anxiety is the body’s normal mental and physical reaction, and that it helps protect us.

Anxiety is our body’s way of telling us something is happening that needs our attention.

Stress reactions can be helpful in some situations, like when you are taking a test, playing a game, or performing.

There are healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety.

Do not avoid the situation that is causing your child anxiety. It is natural for your child to avoid a scary situation, but if you avoid it too, you will reinforce your child's fear and you will not teach your child about dealing with the situation.

Explore your child's fears. To do this:

Talk with your child about his or her fears.

Listen to your child. Listening helps your child feel cared about and supported.

Accept your child’s feelings as …show more content…

Tell your child you believe he or she can find a way to deal with the fears. This will help your child gain confidence.

Teach your child how to breathe mindfully in stressful situations. Mindful breathing is a skill that will help your child self-soothe. It can be used throughout life.

Teach your child to practice muscle relaxation. To do this:

Have your child flex or tense his or her muscles for a few seconds and then relax. Doing this can help your child see the difference between tension and relaxation. It can also give your child some power over the effects of stress.

Have your child dangle his or her arms, breathe deeply, and pretend he or she is a floppy puppet. This helps your child experience relaxation.

Be a role model.

Let your child know what you do in times of stress and anxiety, and demonstrate these positive behaviors.

Let your child observe you and your partner discuss some stressful situation. This can help your child see how you problem solve.

Practice mindful breathing with your child for 3 or 5 minutes at a time when neither of you are

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