Identifying Early Anxiety Symptoms in Children

When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:

• become irritable, tearful or clingy
• have difficulty sleeping
• wake in the night
• start wetting the bed
• have bad dreams

In older children, you may notice that they:

• lack confidence to try new things or seem unable to face simple, everyday challenges
• find it hard to concentrate
• have problems with sleeping or eating
• have angry outbursts
• have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen
• start avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school

Physical symptoms of anxiety may include:

• shaking
• shortness of breath
• butterflies in the stomach
• a hot face
• clammy hands
• dry mouth
• a fast heartbeat

Younger children also:

• stop playing with the toys they usually enjoy
• become withdrawn
• are more tired
• eat more or eat less
• seem to put in less effort or give up more easily in usual activities that they would show enthusiasm for
• become over-excited or they may change their behaviour to get attention
• start talking louder to be heard

It is important to reach out and seek help if you think your child may be struggling, take a look at the NHS website for more information.

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