Panic Attacks in Children - On Symptoms, Causes and Cures
Panic Attacks in Children - On Symptoms, Causes and Cures
Parents or guardians who see their young child in the midst of a panic attack for the first time may be shocked and pained at the experience. Granted, anxiety in a child isn't always a bad thing. Children need to learn to avoid actual dangers. They also need to face irrational fears in age-appropriate ways. They need to feel secure, and for a time cling to a parent, so they go through some separation anxiety before feeling secure in a degree of independence.But at what point does anxiety in children become a problem that needs more definite and specific treatment than everyday parenting skills normally address? The answer may be variable and require parental discretion, but there are signs and symptoms that clearly suggest a child's stress level is out of the ball park. Panic attacks in children is one such sign.I. Symptoms of panic attack in childrenWhen among his or her peers or parents, a child at some point of development may feel ashamed to display signs of undergoing a panic attack. Nonetheless, some signs are hard to hide. If in any case, a parent witnesses a child in the throws of an attack, some common symptoms include the following:Obvious facial expressions of terror
A face drained of blood
Crying or unexpected silence
Profuse sweating
Dry mouth
Clammy hands
Shaking or trembling
Heart beating faster than activity level suggests is warranted
Tingling or numbness, such as in the fingers
Faster breathing than activity level suggests or trouble with breathing
A sense of unreality or going crazy
Dizziness
Abdominal or chest pains
Nausea without sickness
Feeling a strong need to urinate or defecate
Tight muscles, such as in the neck and shouldersNote that some symptoms can be seen, heard, or felt in a child while others must be found by asking direct or indirect questions. The questioning person, however, must be careful not to ask questions in a way that encourges the child by mere suggestion to feel the symptoms. And of course a number of the symptoms may indicate something other than panic attack, so that a parent may do well to call a doctor.A child susceptible to panic attacks or other anxiety disorder may otherwise show signs of a heightened state of anxiety or depression--in other words, warning signs of trouble such as:Avoidance behaviors like a strong, new desire to stay out of school
An unusual pattern of complaints about stomach aches or headaches
A pattern of nightmares, insomnia, or oversleeping while not in a growth spurt
Decreasing desires for formerly enjoyed activities or food
Inexplicable outbursts of anger
Emotional withdrawal
Difficulty focusing or concentratingNote especially any downhill changes in behavior patterns.II. On causes of panic attacks in childrenCauses and contributors to panic attacks in children may give a clue as to possible cures. Of course a child may voluntarily tell a trusted parent the perceived source of trouble, but in many cases, the child may either not understand what is happening to him or her, or not be able to express it. Parental questions and observations are critical at early stages of diagnosis.Some possible causal examples follow. Is the child afraid of a bully, a sibling, an estranged parent or grandparent? Does the child fear that a parent or secure environment will be lost? If a new baby was recently born, does the child fear loss of parental affection? Have parents argued with each other heatedly in the hearing of the child, perhaps causing fear of loss ... or misplaced guilt? Even in the womb, children can learn fear when a mother feels stressed.Is the child's schedule too demanding and stressful? Is the child required to go to bed regularly at an age-appropriate time of night? Are there environmental toxins in the home or neighborhood to which the child may be reacting? What about a reaction to a drug? Does the child react strongly to caffeine or have too much sugar in the diet? Is the child's lifestyle too sedenatary? Does the child have asthma?III. Treating and curing panic attacks in childrenFor caring parents of a child with panic attacks, a natural reaction is to comfort the suffering child. The counter-intuitive trouble with this may be that a parent is rewarding the child's panic and fear behavior with attention, affirmation, and sympathy. Rewarding panic may teach the child to continue panicking!This does not mean the parent should be emotionally detached. Nor does it mean the parent should encourage the child to engage in reckless disregard of real danger. But fostering avoidance behavior does not help a child overcome irrational fears or stop panic attacks. Facing fear is rather one of the more effective techniques at curing panic attacks.No one likes to face one's fears. Nor is it ever easy. And children are more vulnerable than adults at least insofar as their brain's mental and moral abilities are not as developed as adults', depending on the child's age and developmental stage. A parent or counselor needs to guide the child from his or her individual and developmental point of view. The parent/counselor's calm and confident demeanor can encourage the child. The child needs both a gentle approach and one that holds the child appropriately accountable to facing life.Doctors and psychiatrists may of course prescribe drugs to treat panic attacks and heightened anxiety, but negative side effects especially for younger children may be riskier than for older people. The same may be true of some natural calming substances like herbs. Homeopathic remedies may be safer, such as the child version of Rescue Remedy.However, a simpler and safer additional method of controlling panc attacks in children is the exercise of simple gratitude. If a child's attention can be redirected away from anxiety and toward things for which he or she is truly thankful, the new focus has a wonderful way of calming the mind. This only works if the child himself/herself is genuinely grateful and emotionally engaged rather than merely mimicking an adult's modeling or following a demand by rote. Nor should gratitude be used alone without other targeted remedies.Properly, remedying panic attacks in children typically depends on individual child personality, practical situation, stage of brain development, and commonly effective techniques for stopping panic attacks. It is a reasonable hope that children can be cured of panic attacks.
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