• WayAhead
  • WayAhead Directory
  • Mental Health Month
  • PNDA
  • Stress Less
  • WayAhead Workplaces

Understanding Anxiety

Information and support for Anxiety Disorders

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Understanding Anxiety is a WayAhead program

  • Support Groups
    • Calendar
    • What happens at a Support Group?
    • Locations
    • Become a Facilitator
      • Facilitators Login
  • About Anxiety
    • What is anxiety?
    • Translated information
    • Personal Experiences
      • Bani’s Story – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
      • Julie’s Story – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
      • Marie’s Story – Agoraphobia
      • Quinn’s story – Generalised Anxiety Disorder
    • A Summary of the Latest Research
    • OCD and Anxiety Disorders Awareness
  • Anxiety in Children
    • Does my child need help with their anxiety?
    • Small Steps Seminar
    • Find a Child and Adolescent Anxiety Clinic
    • Video – Big Questions about Childhood Anxiety
  • Getting Help
    • Getting help
    • Treatment and Support
    • Medicare Rebate for Psychologists
    • Find a clinic
    • Online Resources
    • Translated Information
  • Education
    • understanding-anxiety-forums
    • Small Steps – Anxiety awareness in children
    • OCD Awareness Week
  • Contact Us
    • Anxiety Disorders Information Phone Service
    • Telephone Interpreter Service 131450
    • WayAhead Directory of Mental Health Services

Does my child need help with their anxiety?

It’s usual for children to feel anxious or fearful about a variety of different things. After all, children are confronted with all sorts of new experiences and challenges as they grow up and learn about the world around them. In most cases these fears are transitory and do not significantly interfere with a child’s academic, social or family life.

However, for some children, fears and anxieties can have a significant impact on the way they perform at school, on their ability to make or maintain friends, and on their family life.

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else. So how can you tell if your child needs professional help to deal with their anxiety?

Video – Professor Ron Rapee answers some common questions about anxiety in children.

Click the three lines ☰ in corner of video to see all questions in this video series.

Significant interference in day-to-day life

Children with problematic anxiety tend to experience high levels of anxiety across many facets of their lives. Is your child unable to complete homework tasks due to their anxiety? Are they having difficulty making or maintaining friendships? Do they frequently express anxiety about going to school, or are absent from school due to anxiety? Are they frequently complaining of feeling sick/unwell? Is there anxiety stopping them from doing what they would like to do? (e.g. stay over at friends’ places, playing sport, going swimming). Is your child so anxious that they are frequently losing sleep, or need to sleep in the same room as you or another family member?

Age inappropriate fears

If other children their age are not displaying the same sorts of thoughts or behaviours, then your child’s anxiety may be problematic. For example, children between the ages of 6 months to 6 years often show distress upon separation from their parents. However, children of 10 years of age usually do not become distressed when separating from parents.

Significant distress

Anxiety is problematic when children experience high levels of distress because of it. Is your child becoming extremely upset when faced with their fear? Are they enduring anxiety-provoking activities with a high level of distress? For example, a child with social fears may cry whilst having to participate in a group activity. Is your child frequently having meltdowns at the prospect of, for example, going to school, being away from you or home, or having to mix with other children?

Length of time

If your child’s anxious behaviour has caused significant distress and interference in their life on more days than not, it may indicate that they need some assistance. Has your child been displaying anxious behaviour for quite some time, and has this behaviour been constant? For example, if a child was anxious for one week whilst away at camp but has been fine since, it’s unlikely that this child would require further assistance.

More information

Small Steps
Small boy at school desk
Information sessions for parents and teachers
Videos
Panel of people discussing anxiety disorders
Big Questions about Childhood Anxiety
Resources
Two small boys on a swing
Find anxiety clinics and other resources

Anxiety in Children

Child at railing looking down

Guides for parents
and teachers

Girl in school uniform looking at camera

COVID-19: We've got this covered!

Mother helping child with face mask

A collaboration between Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health and School of Education.

A program of

Get Support

Anxiety Disorders Information Line
1300 794 992
5 days a week
9.00 - 5.00pm

Stay in the loop

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

WayAhead Programs

WayAhead Online Directory
Mental Health Month
Understanding Anxiety
Workplace Health Promotion Network
Stress Less Tips
Perinatal Depression and Anxiety


SUPPORTED BY

WayAhead is supported by the NSW Government

WayAhead is an ACNC registered Australian Charity and a QIP accredited organisation

Registered Charity and QIC logos

© 2023 · WayAhead - Mental Health Association NSW · All Rights Reserved ·