Children and adolescents suffer from anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and behavioral problems much like adults, though their symptoms may manifest differently. See What We Treat for a list of disorders and problems children also experience.
Anxiety and Depression in Children and Teens It is often the case that a child’s inability to accurately verbalize what he/she is feeling and thinking can make it difficult for parents to recognize an anxiety or mood problem.
Sometimes, the expression of anxiety and depression in children can be very different from what one might expect. Children suffering from anxiety and/or depression may exhibit:
Irritability
Crying
Temper tantrums
Behavioral outbursts
Clinging to parents, loved ones, or to others with whom they are familiar
Anger/aggression
Refusal to go places or do things for seemingly arbitrary reasons
This can often cause conflict between the child and his/her family or peers. Anxiety in children also has the potential to hinder their academic success if the anxiety is present in school and school-related activities. It can make it difficult for a child to make and/or keep friends, participate fully in activities, and enjoy a carefree childhood.
Involvement of Parents/Guardians, School, and Others When our staff works with a child, they take a systemic approach. This means that the clinician often collaborates closely with the parents/guardians and the school (if warranted for effective treatment). Other important people in the child’s life will likely also be a part of treatment if it will benefit the child (i.e., psychiatrist, pediatrician, siblings). Parents/guardians will likely be an integral part of the treatment process as the child will need help and support outside of the treatment session.
The inclusion of parents, teachers, and other individuals in the treatment of anxiety in children is important to bring consistency to the child’s life. Research suggests that the more often the skills and strategies learned in session are practiced in the child’s daily life, the quicker he/she will positively respond to treatment.
Trust and privacy: In treatment involving children and their parents, access to information is an important and sometimes contentious topic. Particularly for older children, trust and privacy are crucial to treatment success. But parents also need to know certain information about the treatment. For this reason, we will discuss and agree about what information will be shared and what information will remain private.
Parents/Guardians: If you are participating in therapy with your child, you should expect the clinician to request that you examine your own attitudes and behaviors to determine if you can make positive changes that will be of benefit to your child. Specialized parent training will be offered as a way to provide consistency for the children in the home and to teach the parent how to be a coach for the child’s treatment outside of the session. Parents will learn what they do that both reduces and exacerbates the child’s symptoms and new ways to respond to the behaviors of the child will be taught and practiced in session.
Teachers: Consultation with teachers on how they can be a catalyst in the child’s treatment will also occur when it could be beneficial and when it is approved by both the parents and the teachers. Teachers will be provided with specific strategies that they can implement in the school setting to help keep the child on track with his/her specific treatment plan.
Psychiatrists, Physicians, and Other Treatment Providers: Collaboration with treatment providers regarding the child’s treatment plan to ensure that both the medication as well as the treatment provided at our practice are working toward the same goal: reducing the child’s anxiety. This communication with other treatment providers allows for any pertinent information regarding changes in the child’s behaviors or responses to anxiety to be exchanged and adjustments to treatment plan made as necessary.
Giving Your Child Incentive In treating children and adolescents with anxiety, an incentive plan is often put in place. We know that children and teens are not always intrinsically motivated to do things (i.e., they don’t necessarily feel motivated to do things "just because"); typically, they have some external motivation that encourages them to do what they are asked (i.e., screen time, a toy, money, choosing what’s for dinner, etc.). We work to devise an incentive plan that will work for the child/teen and the family to help get the treatment started. As treatment progresses, the child/teen’s expectations are raised in order to earn the incentives.
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P H O N E219.228.7630 | Call us for FREE CONSULT F A X 219.228.1083 A D D R E S S 900 Ridge Road, Suite F, Munster, Indiana 46321 T E L E H E A L T H Indiana, Illinois, New Mexico