Some children may experience occasional anxiety, while some have an anxiety disorder and/or ADHD – which can in itself present challenges that can make kids anxious.
The challenge here can be to differentiate between a child having ADHD or having an anxiety disorder since the two can overlap. ADHD can affect how children manage their emotions – when they get flooded with emotions they can have a difficult time thinking clearly about how to deal with the situation, managing emotions or using coping skills.
Here’s what you need to know about anxiety in children and how to help your anxious child:
If your child has ADHD or anxiety disorder, he or she may struggle to get to school on time; be focused enough to take the homework along; stay focused in class and not be terrified of being called on; comes home really anxious and just spend the afternoon playing a video game, instead of getting organized to do their homework and study for a test; etc.
Kids with ADHD often struggle with working memory, organization and time management. This can make it hard to follow daily routines, leading to chronic stress, and even harder knowing how to manage stress.
Trouble managing emotions or using coping skills can affect children’s behavior in many ways – such as act up and draw attention to themselves, or sit quietly and try not to be noticed.
Other behaviors that may be signs of anxiety in a child with ADHD include: messing around too much in class; lying about schoolwork or other unmet responsibilities; being irritable or argumentative; withdrawing from people; and excessive video game playing or watching TV.
A child with anxiety may seem inattentive or preoccupied because they are distracted by worries, while a child with ADHD tunes out because there’s a brain-based issue with sustaining focus.
A child with anxiety may fidget constantly during class because they have a lot of nervous energy, while for a child with ADHD it’s because of brain-based issues with hyperactivity or impulse control.
A child with anxiety may work slowly because they feel compelled to be a perfectionist, while a child with ADHD takes a long time to get things done because they struggle with starting tasks and sustaining focus.
A child with anxiety may get stuck on a task, be too anxious to ask for help, and fail to turn in assignments; a child with ADHD has that experience because of brain-based issues of poor planning and forgetfulness.
A child with social anxiety may have emotional outbursts, and struggle to make friends or alienate other kids; a child with ADHD can struggle socially because they don’t pick up on social cues, or because they have issues with impulse control that annoy or alienate his peers.
There are several overlapping symptoms, but also key differences, so getting a thorough evaluation is key to determining whether your child has ADHD, an anxiety disorder or both.
Taking notes on what you’re observing can help you find patterns in your child’s behavior, such as a checklist of anxiety symptoms in younger kids or teens and tweens.
Tune in to your kid’s negative behaviors, without assigning them all up to ADHD or impulsivity, and ask your child if something is worrying them or making them uneasy. Help them talk about feelings; listen, and let them know you understand, love, and accept them.
If your child tells you they are feeling anxious, rather than simply telling them to “calm down,” validate their feelings, and together work on figuring out next steps they can take. Encourage them to take small steps forward; to never give up or avoid what they are afraid of.
Try not to take negative behaviors personally – if your child comes home from school and says something rude or offensive, they may just need to let off steam after a stressful day. When they’re calm, brainstorm ways to help them decompress; perhaps it’s about giving them some quiet time before you start asking about their day at school.
If your child’s anxiety is preventing them from functioning or enjoying life, they may need help from a professional who specializes in treating kids with learning and attention issues.
If you struggle with anxiety also, learn to control your own anxiety – remember that your child is learning how to respond to stressful situations by watching how you react to them, and can have an easier time coping with anxiety if you stay calm and positive.
If your child is struggling with homework, is frustrated at school and at home while trying to do homework, shows poor academic performance, etc. – it may be reassuring to know that nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism can make learning more difficult, while other visual disorders are also known to cause learning-related vision problems. Vision and learning are intimately related, and various vision problems can potentially affect academic and reading performance and lead to frustration and anxieties with academic activities observed in children’s behavior.
If your child is suffering from a visual dysfunction or has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, or a learning disability, don’t wait until it gets worse – help him or her embark on a vision therapy now in order to thrive in school and in life!
Expert vision therapists at Vision Development Center of Lancaster offer professional ADHD evaluation and strategies for students with ADHD based on their particular needs.
Our therapy program is based on the needs of the individual, includes Drug – Free, Non- Invasive, Natural Treatments for symptoms of ADD and ADHD, and uses various tools to help correct the visual system to work hand in hand with the brain.
Looking for the right vision therapy or therapy for ADHD and natural treatments for ADD in children in Lancaster PA area? Call our office at (717) 656-0534 to make an appointment, or click here to take our free symptoms survey.