Panic attacks children – 3 Common Causes Of Panic Attacks In Children
Believe it or not it is a well documented fact that panic attacks children! It is no longer just an adult trait, and is exceptionally sad because children are innocent and highly vulnerable. The majority of parents believe that their siblings are under no pressure or responsibility, meaning they are kept away from stress and worry. However, the truth is that this is more of a misconception. In reality children can be just as prone to suffering from panic attacks as any adult, however the causes and effects of the attack are slightly different
Before dealing with the safe ways to treat panic attacks in children, let us try to understand what a panic attack actually is……
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that develops for no apparent reason and triggers severe physical reactions. Panic attacks can be very frightening, and when they occur you might think that you are losing control, having a heart attack or at worst case, you might even believe that you are dying. Panic attacks can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours. However they are usually over in about 10 minutes.
In order to banish panic attacks in children you need to observe the ways in which panic usually affects the child. Think about their past history, for example; what upsets them, or scares them, and most importantly observe their daily behaviour and routine. The most important thing to remember is….
Panic attacks in children can be easily treated and are not in any way life threatening. As long as you can identify the root cause of the problem, it is possible to remove the problem and your child can and will resume a normal life.
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So see below for 3 possible causes of panic attacks in children and ways that you can solve these problems.
1. Generalized anxiety disorder- (GAD) in children – Children are very sensitive to many things. They may feel anxiety about forthcoming events, family, friends, conversations, or any other event, and this prolonged anxiety can turn into a panic attack. Therapies such as Cognitive behavioural therapy (C.B.T) and relaxation techniques are by far the easiest and most effective ways to treat children influenced by general anxiety disorder
2. Separation anxiety disorder- (SAD) in children – Children in general have quite a close relationship with their parents. However when they are separated from their parents for prolonged periods of time, such as; going to boarding school, or even if the parents divorce and the child lives with one parent, this can bring on the onset of a panic attack. In this case scenario, try to make your child understand the reality of life, and that if they know and understand that you will always be there for them no matter what, then this should eradicate most separation anxiety disorders in children, and is very effective when panic attacks children.
3. Fear of the unknown- Sometimes children fear the unknown, it might be brought out in something as simple as the first day back at school after a long summer break. Cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT) are useful in treating such panics:
The ways in which psychologists can use CBT on children are:
Positive reinforcement- if you can reward your child with praise or something physical when attending school they will associate school with everything that is good, and that they have nothing to fear.
- Systematic desensitization- A technique used in behaviour therapy to treat phobias and other behaviour problems involving anxiety can help to treat panic attacks in children occurring in this situation.
If you feel your child is suffering from panic attacks, the first thing to do is not to worry; such symptoms are not abnormal and are easily curable, if you know what to do. Just follow the tips above and in most of the cases you may find it solves the problem.
If you are concerned that your child might be having anxiety panic attacks and need further information on how to cure it, then there are self help e- books on the market which are designed for just this purpose….