Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are not exclusively for adult. In fact, given a prevalence of 36%, children and adolescents with special educational needs are found to be more likely to experience mental health disorders as compared to those without a special need condition.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a common experience for everyone, including children and teenagers. As a normal part of our adaptation to stress, the feeling of anxiousness undeniably creates unpleasant physical and emotional experiences such as feeling panicky, fears, worries, stomach discomfort, difficulty breathing and sweating. This feeling however, is concerning when the unpleasant symptoms lasted for a long period with increased intensity over time. Children who suffered from intense anxiety may started to show changes in behaviors like reluctant to go to school, meltdowns, irregular eating and sleeping habit that interfere with their daily functioning.
Anxiety issues are often overlooked in children or teenagers with greater support needs. They may have lack of insights into their feelings and struggle to express these feelings verbally. Hence, these feelings are often manifested in their behavior to which it often mistakenly perceived as challenging. It is also worth stating that children with special needs are more likely to express their uncomfortable physical sensations instead of sharing to adults about their emotional state.
Common Types of Childhood Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders is differ from developmentally normative fear of anxiety in terms of their persistency (typically lasting for at least 6 months), excessiveness (intense fear or worries) and behavior changes (e.g., actively avoid anxiety-inducing objects/places). Some of the common forms of children anxiety disorders are are including:
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Selective Mutism
Specific Phobias
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobias)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
How do I know if my child is struggling with anxiety issues/disorders?
Children or teenagers with special needs are often required more support to express their anxiety state. Below are some of the common signs and symptoms when a child is experiencing anxiety:
Common Emotional/Behavioral Changes
Extreme fears towards certain objects or situations
Avoiding situations or people
Social withdrawal
Constant crying
Clingy or over demanding
Repetitive behaviours (e.g., hand washing, checking)
Aggressive or disrupting behaviours
Self-harming behaviours
Emotionally meltdown when being separated from caregivers (e.g., crying, shouting)
Common Physical Complaints
Feeling hot
Rapid heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Hot/cold sweats
Numbness
Dry mouth
Headache
Dizziness
Stomach-ache
Nausea or feeling of vomiting
Muscle pains
Difficulty sleeping
It is important for a parent or caregiver to always communicate with their child’s teachers, close friends or other relatives or caregivers to see if they have noticed changes in your child’s behaviors. If you are concerned with your child’s mental health, consult your child’s pediatrician.
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