General Principals for Helping your Child Cope with Anxiety

(General information for all disorders, problems, and variations of ps and sa)

General:

Avoid foods, drinks, or medicines with caffeine such as coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, Excedrin, Anacin. Caffeine can make people feel "nervous" and "jittery"
All children, especially anxious children, should find something that they are good at to develop self-esteem. Having a "strength" builds confidence. When children feel confident in one area, they can use that feeling and apply it to other areas.
Help your child talk about his or her fears without judging them.
If your child is scared about something (for example: dogs, storms, trains) begin by showing pictures and reading about it
Praise your child for being able to talk or learn about his/her fear
Reassure your child that he/she is safe with a brief explanation and discuss methods to stay safe.
Let your child know that he/she is normal for having fears
If your child has developed physical symptoms from the anxiety, don't overreact to them

Relaxation training

Teaching children to use relaxation tapes may also provide a feeling of control for your child.

Use routines and consistency

Have your child use the same routine every morning to get ready for school and every evening to get ready for bed- this consistency reassures the child that things are predictable and under control.