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Understanding Panic Attacks in Children
Fear and anxiety are two of the common
experiences that children encounter as they come to age. There are times when children just
get nervous about the thought of an upcoming test or when they are going to school for the
very first time. Most of the times, this fear does not become irrational nor does it turn
into a panic attack, or a panic disorder. There are a few children, however, that show
symptoms of panic disorder for countless reasons.
Although parents exert much efforts in
protecting the interest of their children so that there can be no interference with their
lives, yet there will always be failures along the way. Just as adults suffer from all sorts
of anxiety disorders, children may too suffer from various types of anxiety disorders. In
fact, children can already suffer from what is called a generalized panic disorder in many
different ways. Children who suffer from a generalized panic disorder are the ones who
excessively worry just about anything. They are said to be rigid on themselves just to
achieve excellence. Aside from the fact that they are always hungry for approval and
reassurance from others, they also seem to seek perfection by redoing their
tasks.
Another type of anxiety disorder that is
present among children is the so called obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is a
disturbing obsession because a person afflicted by ocd attacks seem to have a real
difficulty removing negative thoughts from his mind. One dominant characteristic of
obsessive-compulsive disorder is the display of strong feeling to constantly follow a certain
set of rules precisely to cope with anxiety. This characteristic is present mostly among
children aged ten years old, but this can also be seen in children aged two to three years
old. The common symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are excessive washing of the hands,
the feeling of an impending terror, and the constant checking on almost anything in order to
achieve peace of mind.
Another kind of disorder that is present
among children is known as the panic disorder. This type of disorder is seen among children
who experienced severe panic attacks. This severe experience makes them worry about its
possible reoccurrence in the future. This kind of disorder, however, is not normally present
among young children, but it is sometimes present among adolescents.
It may happen that children who are
suffering from anxiety disorder will develop phobias, like fear on certain objects, places or
situation. Phobia develops among children when the fear persists for the next six months.
Phobia also creates a discomfort on the children’s every day activity. Common symptoms of
phobia are identified as headache, stomachache, tantrum, clingy and freezing, among
others.
Post traumatic stress disorder may
develop among children if they happen to experience severe stressors, like for example the
death of a parent, natural calamity or disaster, or when they experience physical assault.
Children who experienced traumatic events are likely to suffer from post traumatic stress
disorder. When children suffer from this kind of anxiety, they are likely to reject food or
they will have difficulty going to sleep or they may also worry about the reoccurrence of
same traumatic event.
These types of anxiety disorders may
also be present among adults, but the physical and emotional symptoms are not the same. This
is because children do not have the capability to fully comprehend and understand the reasons
why they are afraid and they have difficulty expressing their emotions. Children who suffer
from various types of anxiety disorders are also showing symptoms of anxiety disorders, like
crying, tantrums or being clingy. If children suffer from an anxiety disorder, it is but
proper to consult a pediatrician for immediate treatment.
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