Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges among kids. Anxiety is often categorized into one of several different ‘disorders’ grouped around a core set of symptoms. Each child will experience anxiety in their own way, so it is important to understand your child’s own symptoms and triggers. Some fears are more common than others, and people can be scared of things that you may find difficult to understand.
The table below will tell you more about the different anxiety disorders and their associated symptoms.
| Anxiety Disorders | Core Symptoms |
| Social Anxiety Disorder | Anxiety about other people thinking badly of you, fear of being judged, fear of embarrassment, fear of rejection in social situations, and in autism, fear of not understanding how to act in social situations. |
| Specific Phobias | Extreme fear and distress because of a specific object or situation. Common fears: animals, natural environments (like storms), blood, injection, or injuries, situations like being somewhere high, or something else. |
| Separation Anxiety Disorder | Anxiety about separation from loved one (usually the caregiver) and/or being away from the home. |
| Generalized Anxiety | Uncontrollable negative thinking across a range of everyday topics happening over and over. Children with generalized anxiety are commonly afraid of making mistakes, getting in trouble, perfectionism. |
| Panic Fears | Child experiences unexpected panic attacks over and over, which is when someone feels extremely scared very quickly. Some youth becomes anxious about the future attacks they might have. These fears are not too common in younger children. |
| Selective Mutism
|
Child cannot speak and respond to others in certain settings in which the child is expected to speak e.g., school (although the child is able to speak in other settings). |
| Agoraphobia | Fear about situations where the child cannot easily escape or get help if needed (like in enclosed places or big crowds). |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) |
Child experiences unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and performs repetitive behaviors (compulsions) to relieve distress from the thoughts. Common themes include contamination (fears of contamination and washing or cleaning behavior), harm (fears of harm and checking/reassurance-seeking), taboo thoughts (having "bad" thoughts and checking or reassurance-seeking behaviors), and/or symmetry (needing things to be "just-right" or even). |
It can be hard for children to understand and express their emotions, especially for younger children. It may also be hard to understand why your child would have a particular fear. It is important to try to empathize with this fear and validate their feelings, even if you don’t understand their exact fears. Ultimately, what is important is understanding how to support your child in managing their anxiety.
