Can children have anxiety?

Anxiety in children and teens is far more common than most parents realize. It affects roughly 10-20% of children and adolescents at some point in their development.

Most common forms:

Separation anxiety: intense fear of being apart from caregivers — normal up to a certain age, but a problem when it persists beyond what is developmentally expected or is very intense.

Performance anxiety (school-related): fear of tests, of making mistakes, of not "measuring up." It can cause school avoidance, physical complaints before tests, or paralyzing perfectionism.

Social phobia: intense shyness that prevents participation in social situations, classroom presentations, or activities with others.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: excessive worry about multiple topics (performance, a parent's health, the future) — the child is often described as "a perfectionist" or "very responsible."

Warning signs: frequent physical complaints with no medical cause (stomachaches before school), persistent avoidance, excessive crying, regression in behavior, sleep problems.

Treatment in children: CBT adapted for children (with parental involvement) is the first-line treatment. Medication may be indicated in severe cases, evaluated by a child psychiatrist.