Anxiety rates have been rising in recent years among children and young people, with the situation partially exacerbated by the pandemic.
Occasional feelings of anxiety are normal, even in childhood – for example, a child may feel anxious about an approaching test at school. But if the anxiety is severe, long-lasting and interferes with a child’s daily life, it is called an anxiety disorder.
Our new research has found that the consequences of anxiety disorders in young people can include mental health issues in adulthood, lower grades at school and lower earnings.
But parents and doctors can find it difficult to distinguish everyday, age-appropriate fears and worries from anxiety problems that interfere with daily life.
Where families do seek support, they then struggle to access oversubscribed mental health services. Many children with anxiety disorders do not receive treatment. But our research shows that it is important for children with anxiety problems to receive timely treatment before they develop further.
Read the full story on the Conversation website co-authored by Tessa Reardon, Jack Pollard and Mara Violato from the University of Oxford.
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