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

• Daily routines, including bedtime rituals help children feel safe
• 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.
• Be predictable