Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety
Panic attacks are caused by underlying anxiety. During a panic attack, the body will often respond the same way in which it would when facing actual danger. While not all panic attacks manifest in the same way, the physical response is the same: The body tries to get up to speed with the mind. Even though they are most common in adults, did you know that children can suffer from panic attacks, too? As a parent, it can be a shock to see your child so highly stressed. To help alleviate their attacks, check out these following tips.
Find the Cause of the Panic Attack
Firstly determine why your child is having these panic attacks. Take note that it may be difficult to pinpoint one trigger. Distress can range from a feeling crowded at the park to being nervous to get on the school bus in the morning. They can often arise in response to a situation or trigger that the person is afraid of, such as performing in front of others, being away from home, or doing an exam. However, they can also appear out of the blue with no identifiable trigger, perhaps related to having a bodily sensation, such as feeling lightheaded after exercise.
Try Relaxation Exercises
When the body has an intense response, you want to calm it down. It’s recommended to get into the habit of practicing progressive muscle relaxation before an anxiety attack presents itself. For example, squeezing your hands together tightly and then letting go helps the mind to focus on the change between tightness and ease. Teach this tip to your child so that he or she can know how to calm their body and mind with one exercise.
Practice Breathing
Do some breathing exercises with your child. Say to them, ‘Just concentrate on breathing in and out with me.’ Do this for several minutes while you sit with them. This simple act can help to calm the body and the mind, alleviating the feelings of an anxiety attack.
You can help protect your child from anxiety attacks with these tips. We can help protect their entire bodies. Contact the Pediatric Surgical Associates for all your pediatric surgical needs. Our pediatric surgeons in Orange County are experts at protecting your kids’ health and wellness!