Anxiety- how to help your child

29 Aug Anxiety- how to help your child

 What Is Anxiety?

Everyone feels a little nervous for the first day of school, but a child with anxiety will have a stress response that is out of proportion to the situation. They will be overtaken with a feeling of impending doom, as though the world will end. It is not rational (and they often know this), but it is a very real and very uncomfortable feeling that ins’t just wished away. If not managed, it can lead to symptoms of chronic stress and depression. Read about how anxiety can lead to chronic stress

What Your Child Can Do For Anxiety:

I believe that no child is too young to own their health or their feelings. I love teaching kids about their triggers and helping them find and use tools to manage their anxiety. It’s incredibly empowering to be so self aware…. so many adults still struggle with anxiety, so the earlier they learn how to cope, the better!

Fragrances And Herbs

Have your child explore fragrances and herbs- get them to put a drop of lavender essential oils in the bath or on their pillow. Lavender is known to calm the nervous system and is even helpful for depression. The beauty of lavender (aside from it’s colour of course) is that in it’s dried form, the herb can be added into iced teas, lemonades, popsicles, muffins (strawberry lavender), and even pancakes! Remember this when making breakfast on the first day of school!

Another herb that is great for the nervous system is Passion flower. It binds to GABA receptors in the brain and takes “the edge off”. This is easily accessible in tinctures and teas.

Meditation

1. Epsom salt baths- these salts are high in magnesium, which is known to stimulate blood flow and relax the body. Many people with anxiety have an increased need for magnesium. In addition, just resting in the bath can be meditative and therapeutic.
2. Exercising- gentle movements can stimulate the brain and allow for problem solving and creativity. It can also serve as moving meditation. Getting your child to go for a walk or bike ride in nature can be very helpful. Another activity to try is yoga, this is available through local studios, city programs and on line
3. Have your child practice some deep breathing– by tracing their fingers on their right hand with their left index finger. Tell them to take a deep breath (as you go up the finger) and a slowly exhale (as you go down the finger). Another exercise is to have them hold their hand gently on their tummy and imagine there is a balloon inside. Encourage them to note that with inhalation, the balloon will gently fill (and their tummy will rise) and as they exhale, the balloon will slowly empty.
4. Meditation- this is my favourite tool and goes beyond just sitting and clearing thoughts. There are many types of meditation such as guided imagery, visualization and progressive muscle relaxation- each of these techniques is lovely for kids.

Play Therapy

Go to school early and play. A good game of tag or a fast back ride will get them distracted, get their blood flowing and release feel-good-endorphins. This is a sure way to start their day in a fun and positive way. There is so much value in play therapy!

Problem Solving

Have your child brain storm with you about what might make the day (or situation) easier. When they are calm and rational, have them help you think of a few solutions. Here are some ideas to get them started:

1. A special stuffed animal in their back pack or a note from mom or dad in their lunch box might help with separation anxiety.
2. Knowing what time they will be picked up, having a schedule of the day so they know what to expect if they fear the unknown
3. The ability to take a break when they are overwhelmed if their anxiety is related to work load
4. Noise cancelling headphones if the noises in the hallway are overstimulating, or make arrangements to walk to class slightly earlier or later than the rest if the lights, people and noises are just too much.
5. If coming up with a plan is difficult because the child is too anxious just thinking about making a plan, I encourage parents to go back to basics and load their tool box with meditation techniques, deep breathing, journaling etc/.. Then work on growth mindset and emotional agility and then come back to making a  plan.

The goal is to make going to school tolerable and then enjoyable. They may need to experience several consecutive successes before they enjoy school, so be patient. When your child feels comfortable, he/she will  have an open mind, receive information, and notice improvements in memory and focus. The more relaxed your child, the easier learning will be!